02 Illness
by The Outcasts
Summary: Originally written for Netraptor's Fanfiction Contest. After an attack from a Mecha Sonic prototype Sonic falls gravely ill. But as he tries to hide it from his friends the sickness becomes more serious, until finally tragedy strikes. Now in chapter forma
1. Chapter One

Illness - A Sonic the Hedgehog Fanfiction by The Outcasts.

Author's note: Hey again. This fanfic was actually going to be filler between "Metamorphosis" and "It Isn't Wonderful Now", but due to.. creativeness, this fic caused me to actually expand my little series.

One more quick note, (sorry ;) my stories don't follow the SatAM show, but can be considered an AU (alternate universe) to the series, or the Archie Comics. And don't worry, they don't follow the Fleetway comics either (not that there's anything wrong with that.) but I may use some references from them. In this story, Sonic's 15, Sally's 15, Bunnie's 16, Rotor's 16, Antoine's 18 and Tails is 9, as seen fit by the author.

Sonic the Hedgehog and other related characters are copyright to Sega, Sonic Team and Archie Comics. I don't own them, Japanese and Americans do. The fanfiction itself is copyright to me, because I said so, but the beginning of it belongs to NetRaptor, as she wrote it for her fanfic competition. You'll be able to tell when she stops and I start because that's when it starts to get pathetically written ;;

Unfortunately I was too late to enter this fic into the contest, but it's okay. I still had a blast writing it.

Oh and this won't make sense unless you read 'Metamorphosis' first. Go read, now. Now!

Have you hugged a tiger cub today?

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Illness

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'What is the terror of death

That we die our work incomplete

What is the joy of life

To die knowing our task is done.'

-Unknown

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The force struck him hard and fast. Mecha's fist slammed into Sonic's face, sending him hurling over the cliff. As he fell, he could hear the screams of Sally and Tails at the top, as the evil robot no doubt intended to kill them, or at least kidnap them.

The cliff was massive, Sonic could feel the G-force against his face as he fell, and could see the roaring waterfall rushing down beside him. Then he hit the water. 'Belly flop'. Pain rushed through his body, and he curled into a ball to make it stop. When he pulled his head up, he didn't know where he was. All the water looked the same. He couldn't tell the difference between up and down. He swam through the murky water, trying to find some indication of which way the surface was. Suddenly, he felt a great force pushing him. He tried to get away, but he was trapped. He was under the waterfall. Now he knew which way was up. Only thing was, he was going the other way. He was going down, down, down, caught in the rip. The water was darker near the bottom. He couldn't see anything. His lungs really began to hurt.

He managed to escape from the waterfall. Looking around, he realised the horrible truth - he was lost again. Disoriented. His lungs pounded. He couldn't see, the water was so dark, he could hear the sound of the waterfall all around him, engulfing him. So loud, so loud... He tried to block his ears, but he was so weak... his lungs felt so compressed, they felt like they would explode. Nothing but darkness all around. Too weak to move. He closed his eyes, trying to block the pain from his lungs. Spots before his eyes, now. So loud, the sound hurt his ears. He got pins and needles. So painful. He began to black out when he felt a pair of cold metal hands grip onto his shoulders and began to pull him up. Sonic struggled to hold what little breath he still maintained.

The icy water rushed past him, chilling his body further. The spots before his eyes began multiplying, dancing and flashing in a stop and start rhythm. Darkness then began to take over the visual dance floor, starting at the edges of Sonic's eyes.

Just as Sonic felt himself lose his grip on consciousness again his head broke through the still surface of the river waters. Sonic gulped in the life-giving oxygen, aware of the darkness once again dissolving. But just as he began to recover Sonic was dunked back into the water like a soaking biscuit. Caught off-guard Sonic by accident swallowed a mouthful of water when he went to breathe in more air. A second later of panicked thrashing Sonic was yanked out again.

Sonic coughed and spluttered what water he could force out of himself, then dared a look at his 'rescuer'. The cold hard glare of Mecha Sonic met his gaze. Water was dripping off each and every part of the metal monstrosity, some of it pouring out of its joints. Sonic wondered if the damn thing was water-proof, and if it was not, how long it would take for it to short out.

Sonic peered down, realising that he was dangling at least four feet above the water. A strange fear gripped his heart; the main reason Sonic hated water was because he couldn't swim. But somewhere deep down the fear that had a hold on him seemed different, like the type you felt when you were afraid of the dark. Sonic felt the robot drop him slightly, and the fear raised a notch. As if acting with the raised fear Sonic looked up at the robot and shot an uncharacteristic hiss at it. The Mecha Bot was unfazed by the action.

The Mecha Bot suddenly dug its diamond-tipped claws into Sonic's shoulders, making Sonic holler from the unexpected pain. The cold water that was dripping from his head-quills ran along the wounds, feeling like burning acid. Through the pain Sonic felt the cold arm of the robot snaked about his stomach, allowing the robot to free its other hand. When Sonic noticed that Mecha Sonic was attempting to slash the back of his neck Sonic growled and grabbed at the robot's arm, then pulled it back and forced the robot's hand to smack into its own head.

Frustrated by the attack Mecha Sonic spun itself in the air and threw Sonic with all its strength towards the riverbank, then jetted after him with the aid of its fan-forced engine. Its metallic claws were stretched out in front of it, ready for an instant kill. Sonic landed roughly onto the river bank, rolling out of the insane robot's warpath just in the nick of time, which in turn caused Mecha to ram into the thick trunk of a large Oak tree and drive its knifelike claws into it. Giving a digital scream the robot began to wretch itself with sharp jerks, for the moment forgetting about its assassination target.

Sonic's amber eyes flashed with determination as he ran at full speed towards the robot, which had dislodged its claws out from the tree and had fallen to the ground. Sonic rammed his shoulder into the robot's belly before it could regain its balance, sending the robot flying a few yards back. Before Mecha could pick itself up again, Sonic had sped up to it and stabbed his own razor sharp claws into the robot's eye, destroying its optic sensors. The robot gave yet another digital scream, like as if it actually hurt it.

As the Mecha Bot staggered around blindly, Sonic again rammed into it at full speed, slamming it into yet another tree. This time the robot didn't pick itself up, as the last impact had deactivated it. Sonic stalked up to the unmoving Mecha-wannabe, pain surging through his back as he walked.

When he was sure that the robot was not going to attack again Sonic quickened his pace until he was standing over the robot. He glared down at its lifeless black eyes, then brought up his foot and stomped onto its head, crushing it under his sneaker. Sonic then stood back to admire his handy work. There, now there was no way it could reactivate itself now, he thought smugly to himself.

Sonic slumped back against the tree he had slammed Mecha into and held his head in his hand, waiting for the pounding to subside. He could still hear the thundering roar of the waterfall in his ears, so Sonic pawed at them as an attempt to stop it. He was soaked from head to toe, and the water had been icy cold. Sonic shivered and forced his teeth to not chatter.

"Sonic!"

The hedgehog lifted his head and saw Tails flying towards him, the fox's wrists gripped by Sally. Thankfully, neither was harmed. The robot must have only had been after him, and not his friends.

Sally released Tails' wrists and ran the rest of the way towards Sonic, tossing her arms around the hedgehog's neck upon reaching him. "Sonic! Are you all right?" she asked, heavy concern in her voice.

"'Course I am. It takes more than some dumb tin can to bring down the ol' hedgehog," Sonic grinned, amber eyes gleaming with bravado. Sally stared into Sonic's eyes for a second, smiling slightly, then snapped back into reality and pulled away from Sonic quickly.

"Good. That's good to hear," she fumbled, regaining her composure. Sonic looked at her with confusion, but then mentally shrugged off Sally's strange behaviour.

Meanwhile Tails was staring at the hedgehog with numb shock, not noticing what Sally had just done.

"Sonic. You're bleeding," the kit finally spoke up. Sonic looked at his shoulder and realised what his friend had told him was true, for dark crimson streams of blood had fallen down along his arms, staining his tan fur with its colour. Sonic could also feel the blood trickling down his back slowly, sticking to his fur. Some blood had managed to get onto the tree he was leaning against as well.

The pounding in Sonic's head suddenly increased, bringing a feeling of faintness over the hedgehog. Sonic suppressed a groan as he slumped back against the tree again, almost collapsing. Sally lashed out a hand to grab Sonic's hand before he could do so.

"Are you all right?" Sally asked as she steadied Sonic. Numbly, the blue hedgehog nodded.

"Yeah, yeah. Just a bit... light-headed," he mumbled, leaning his head back against the tree.

Sally turned Sonic to his side and examined his back. Large cuts, about three inches long and half an inch thick, crossed over Sonic shoulders and across his upper back. Most of his back quills were covered with blood already.

"Sit down for a minute. You're bleeding a lot," Sally ordered. Sonic did so as Sally peeled off her backpack and unzipped it.

"What are you gonna do, Aunt Sally?" Tails questioned, watching Sally curiously. Sally pulled out some cloth from her backpack and pressed it against Sonic's shoulder.

"I'm just going to stop the bleeding, honey," she answered, gazing at the fox and smiling calmly. Tails inched over so that he could see what Sally was doing. He was still training to become a Freedom Fighter and wanted to learn everything he could to become a good one. Tails knew about the approaching Doomsday Project.

"Just pray that you don't have to do this one day, bro," Sonic said, lifting a hand to hold the cloth in place while Sally grabbed another one from her backpack. His faintness had disappeared once he had sat down, but he did appear somewhat pale from the blood loss.

"No, he should be praying that psychopathic robots on a killing spree don't come after him," Sally pointed out.

"That too."

Sally tied the cloth around Sonic's shoulders, then carefully pulled his arm over her shoulders and helped him to stand up, along with Tails' help, who kept Sonic steady by supporting his side.

"Think you can walk back to Knothole?" Sally asked.

"I'm not walking around with a gaping hole in my back you know, Sal," Sonic answered in a frustrated tone. His eyes fell back to the river he had fallen into. On their way back from Robotropolis the Mecha Sonic robot had come after them, specifically Sonic. Before any of the trio had a chance to react the robot had thrown the first punch, which had caused Sonic to fall into Culgoa River.

As he stared at the river Sonic realised that the water seemed unusual. Sonic narrowed his eyes then shook his head slightly. Somehow, from where he was standing, the water appeared purple to the hedgehog, but when he tilted his head Sonic noticed that it changed back to its normal colour. He experimented with this a few more times, then shook his head again. Maybe he hit the water too hard when he was pushed off, he thought.

"Sonic?"

Sally's voice brought him back to reality and Sonic looked at her blankly.

"Are you all right?" Sally questioned, worried. Sonic just nodded, flashing her his familiar grin.

Sonic just nodded, flashing her his familiar grin. "Yeah, let's cruise outta here," he said. Then he remembered the life-less robot. "What should we do with the 'bot, Sal?"

"Leave it here, I don't want that robot anywhere near the village," Sally stated.

"Good call," Sonic agreed.

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In Robotropolis the battle had been witnessed by a lone figure in front of a computer terminal.

"Sir. The hedgehog has destroyed the Mecha Bot prototype," Snively reported. He had been watching the video feedback he was receiving from the Mecha Sonic prototype through a monitor when the image suddenly ended in violent static, signalling the 'bot's destruction. Snively knew that the doctor wouldn't be pleased and dreaded telling him the bad news.

Robotnik walked over to the computer terminal and stood behind his nephew, a dark frown wrinkling his flabby face. "Damage report, Snively," he growled, dark voice echoing in the quiet control centre. Snively typed in a few commands into the computer and examined the green text on the monitor.

"Visual sensors and CPU had been completely destroyed. There's minimal damage to the hull itself, except for the head, and can be repaired," Snively informed, then looked up at Robotnik. "Should I send a recon-bot to retrieve the unit?"

Robotnik glared at the text filled monitor, quickly reading over what Snively had just read out, and felt his disappointment rise as yet another project had just been confirmed a failure. After the failed gene-splicing project involving Sonic, Robotnik had decided to build a Mecha Bot with Sonic's newly acquired abilities and features. The first prototype was literally slapped together a fortnight before the metamorphosis project, programmed with cheap programs Robotnik had then set aside until after Sonic's involvement in the gene-splicing project. Obviously Robotnik needed to work on the next prototype more; and maybe use imported parts and programs to make it flawless.

"Affirmative. Perhaps we can still salvage something from the wreck," Robotnik proclaimed. As an after thought he asked, "Which river did the hedgehog fall in?"

Snively again typed in a few commands into the computer. A satellite image of Mobius booted up onto the screen, then automatically began zooming in onto a precise location as it tracked down the Mecha unit. Finally the computer found the coordinates and a name flashed across the screen in neon green: Culgoa River.

When he saw the name on the screen, Robotnik smiled wickedly. That use to be one of the rivers he used as a dumping ground for chemicals that had exhausted their use years ago. The waterfall located there acted as a sort of mixing tool that kept the chemicals active, which showed in the surrounding plant-life. Although the chemicals dumped in that actual river were not deadly, they could still make a person incredibly ill if a certain amount had been consumed.

No doubt Sonic had to have swallowed quite a large amount of the poisoned water during his struggle with the robot and would soon feel its affects.

Robotnik's smile widened at that thought. Perhaps the rodent's mutation will increase the chemical's effects. Of course the hedgehog would recover from his illness but still, perhaps it'll slow Sonic, along with the Freedom Fighters, down enough for Robotnik to speed up work on his Doomsday Device. Or even a different project he had in mind for a while now.

"Oh, this is good. Very, very good indeed," Robotnik whispered. Out loud he said, "Snively, I have a new assignment for you."

Wide-eyed the tiny Overlander swivelled his chair around to face Robotnik. "A new assignment, Sir?" he questioned, a hinting of surprise in his voice. In response Robotnik pulled out a folded piece of paper from his cloak and handed it to Snively.

"I want you to find out as much as you can about the object in that picture, including its location, history, and anything else that may be valuable to me," he ordered, and watched as Snively unfolded the paper. There was a silent pause from Snively, then, "Did this come from him?"

Robotnik had already left the room.

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"You could have needed major surgery if the cuts were any deeper than they are now. You are very, very lucky," Sally declared while she cleaned up the wounds on Sonic's shoulders. Once the three of them returned to Knothole Sally had taken Sonic straight to his room to properly treat the cuts on his shoulders and back. It was after the excess blood was washed away it was revealed that the wounds were not as bad as first anticipated.

"Sure. But I still didn't have enough luck to not get the cuts," Sonic smirked, then winced as Sally dabbed some disinfectant onto one of the gashes.

"Guess that's true. Still feel faint?" Sally asked as she placed gauze patches over the cuts, then began wrapping a bandage around his upper torso and shoulders to secure the patches.

"A little. I'll get over it, though," Sonic responded.

Sally finished wrapping Sonic's shoulders and began packing away the equipment she was using. "There. That should do it," she finalised after a while, giving the hedgehog's shoulder a sharp slap for emphasise.

Sonic yelped and glared daggers at the ground squirrel, who in turn shrugged innocently as she slid off the bed.

"I'll go now so that you can get some sleep. I'll check up on you in the morning, okay?" she told Sonic, facing him.

"Sure, Sal. No prob," Sonic nodded as he too stood and walked Sally to the door. Sally stepped out of Sonic's hut and waved shortly at him. "Goodnight, Sonic," she called.

"Goodnight, Sal," Sonic returned.

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The next day everything seemed fairly normal.

Sonic's ears pricked up to the sound of footsteps coming from outside coming towards his door. Taking a quick glance at himself in the mirror and running his fingers through his quills, Sonic then reached over and pushed his door open. His ears cocked back when he heard someone walk through the door a few minutes later.

"How did you know I was there, Sonic?" Sonic heard Sally ask. The ground squirrel walked up to him a second later.

Sonic grinned and shrugged. "It's not my fault you're loud," he commented, shaking his head to fix up his long quills.

"When you opened the door I was more than three meters away," Sally informed. Sonic stared at her blankly, then again shrugged.

"Okay, then you're really loud," he said, tensing the 'really' in his statement. Sally scowled and gave Sonic a small shove. "So how are you today, Wiseguy?" she asked.

"Besides the fact that my shoulders and back are killing me, I'm fine," Sonic responded. To prove his point Sonic carefully stretched out his left shoulder stiffly, then moved it in a circular motion.

Sally ran her fingertips over the bandages, noting that there were small patches of red dotting them. The bandages were also a little loose.

"Some blood has gone through, Sonic. Let me change the bandages," Sally suggested.

"Nah, don't worry about it, Sal. It's cool," Sonic assured casually.

"'Cool' is not the same as 'fine'," Sally pointed out firmly, not missing a beat. "Where's your first-aid kit?"

Sonic sighed and rolled his eyes, stopping when they were viewing the ceiling. He muttered something incomprehensible to himself, then out loud said, "I shoved it under my bed somewhere. I swear, Sal, the cuts bled because I had a shower this morning. But it's stopped now."

Sally dropped to her knees and peered under Sonic's bed. "Are you sure it's under here?" she quizzed.

Again Sonic sighed and walked over to where Sally was. He crouched and began feeling around for the metal box. Sally watched in silent shock as Sonic began pushing out crumpled up pieces of paper, old magazines, and even balled-up socks from the abyss of the underside of his bed.

Finally Sonic pulled out the large first-aid kit and slid it in front of Sally. "There," he stated, leaning his hands on the surface of the box. "One first-aid kit."

Sally averted her eyes to the scattered mess that now took over Sonic's floor. Sonic followed her gaze and smirked sheepishly. "Um, I'll clean it up later," he murmured.

"Just don't shove it all under your bed again," Sally said, grabbing the box's handle and hauling it up onto the bed.

"Hey, we all have different ways of doing things, including cleaning," Sonic retorted as he pulled himself up. When he did this his vision blurred instantly, a sensation of faintness following. Sonic staggered back and bumped into his bedside table, his hands fumbling to grab the edge of it.

"Are you all right?" Sally questioned, steadying Sonic by taking a hold of his arm. Sonic held his head and nodded, vision returning. "Yeah, I'm okay. Guess I just got up too quick," he assured, grinning.

"Are you sure?"

Sonic sat down and nodded. "Sure I'm sure. Don't worry about it, Sal. It happens."

Sally sat down next to Sonic, then slid behind him. "Okay, if you say so," she said, opening the first-aid kit. "Oh, by the way, I told Rotor about that Mechabot from yesterday."

Sonic shivered involuntarily.

"Yeah, so?"

"So, Rotor wants you to tell him more about it. I just told him what I saw, but right now you have the most experience with Mechabots," Sally explained.

"Unfortunately," Sonic muttered. "I'll catch up with him later. I hope Rote' decides to turn the stupid thing into scrap metal."

Sally unwrapped the bandages from around Sonic's shoulders, then took a cotton bud and soaked it with alcohol. She streaked it over one of the cuts, making Sonic twitch.

"Have you've seen Tails today, Sal?" Sonic asked, turning his head to try and look at Sally.

"I have, actually. He seemed all right to me," she answered, stopping her motions momentarily. "Why?"

Sonic shrugged his shoulders gingerly. "Just wanted to make sure that he was all right, that's all," he responded. He felt Sally's hand swept over the back of his torso as she spread a fresh gauze patch over a cut. Sally then began to wrap a new bandage around his shoulders.

"Tails is a tough kid, he gets that from you," Sally commented, smirking. Sonic nodded in agreement, he too smirking.

"Yeah, that's true I guess," the blue hedgehog boasted, before yelping when Sally again slapped his shoulders.

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Blurs of brown and green rushed past at his sides. The path below him was barely visible beyond his whirring feet. A sharp turn slowed him down for a split-second.

Sonic tossed a quick look over his shoulder, instantly spotting the orange and white fur of his friend against the dark colours of the forest. The young fox was not that far behind, Sonic noted.

Tails' feet were hovering half a centimetre above the ground, his twin tails spinning like mad. His arms were pressed firmly against his sides, fists balled up and away from his legs to prevent tripping. Sonic had to admit - the kid was getting faster.

Slowing down a notch so that he was right beside the two-tailed fox, Sonic called out to him. "How are you holding out, bro?"

One of Tails' large ears pricked up momentarily. "I'm okay, Sonic," he panted once he was able to gather enough breath.

"Don't push yourself too much, remember to keep a steady pace or else you'll tire yourself faster," Sonic instructed. Tails slowed down noticeably, to which Sonic followed suit so that he can keep a close eye on him. The two of them did this almost everyday, as Tails wanted to improve his running skills. And who better to help him than the fastest thing alive?

"Lower your head a little more," Sonic continued, showing Tails what he meant by doing it himself. Tails' deep blue eyes darted in the hedgehog's direction to see, then he copied Sonic's actions. Another sharp turn cam up in the path.

They had been running for a while now, perhaps half an hour or more. Sonic could tell that Tails was tiring and needed to stop soon. Sonic's own heart was pounding heavily both in his chest and ears, but he could continue for a while longer without a problem. Still, Tails needed to stop.

But before Sonic could yell out for a break something strange happened. Without warning Sonic's vision blurred and became nothing but clouded colours. His head spun and the pounding in his ears increased as his senses went numb all at once. Disoriented, Sonic swerved to his right and felt his legs crumble under him. He just had enough time and sense to roll himself into a protective ball.

Head over tail, head over tail, Sonic rolled for what seemed like hours. He could feel himself smacking into trees, rocks and other solid and pain inflicting objects. It was until Sonic struck a large rock that he released his iron-lock and hit a tree side-on. Pain surged up his side as Sonic fell limply to the forest floor. Body flimsy with dizziness, Sonic's limbs flopped without life as he tried to regain his breath and vision. There was a distant ringing in his ears now.

"Sonic!"

He just barely heard Tails' startled cry. The hedgehog groaned and forced himself to lift his aching and now bruised body, just as Tails reached him.

Leaning his hands on his knees and gasping, Tails waited until he caught his breath before speaking again. "Sonic, are you all right?"

The blue hedgehog rubbed a hand over his pounding head, wincing as the ginger touch seemed to increase the mental drum's beating. "Yeah, I think so," he muttered, adding a quiet curse to himself.

He stood stiffly, pressing a hand to the small of his back where a nasty cramp had developed. Carefully, Sonic leaned back against the tree he had crashed into.

"What did you do? Did you trip over something?" Tails questioned, twin tails twitching with anticipation. He had never seen Sonic fall like that before and had been shaken up by the event.

"Yeah, must've," Sonic confirmed, knowing that he had not. By now his dizziness had passed and his vision returned. What remained was the headache, which was now pounding almost shyly at the very front of his forehead. But there was also a stabbing pain through his shoulders, especially where the large wounds the Mecha Bot had made yesterday. He felt his shoulders stiffen suddenly, before they somehow began twitching.

"Probably a tree root or something," he continued, trying to suppress the spasm coursing through his shoulders and back. The developing twitches died down after a brief moment.

"But you never trip!" Tails yipped. Sonic couldn't help but smirk at that comment.

"Well, there's a first time for everything I guess," he said. "But don't tell anyone about this, 'kay, bro? It'll wreck my reputation."

Tails laughed and gave Sonic the thumbs up. "No problemo, Sonic." The fox then turned and made as if to sprint off. "Wanna race back now?" he questioned.

Sonic grimaced and shook his head, again wincing. "Naw, you run ahead. The last thing I want to do is crash into you by accident," he insisted.

"Are you sure?" Tails murmured, concerned now. But at the same time he gave Sonic the most innocent and pleading look a nine-year-old could muster.

"Ah Tails, you brick. That only works on Sal and Bunnie. Even I can pull that trick off on them," Sonic commented, crossing his arms over his chest. But then after a while the look got to him, and Sonic threw his arms up in exasperation. "Fine then."

Tails gave a whoop of delight and hugged his adoptive brother. "Way past cool, Sonic," he cried.

"Yeah yeah, darn kid," Sonic muttered, then ruffled up the fox's head fur. "Go on, I'll give ya a three second head start. Use it well."

Tails was racing down the pathway a split second later, and was soon followed by Sonic.

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As soon as he found out who gave him the idea to run back to Knothole, Sonic was going to give them a good hearty kick up their rear-end.

The run back only resulted in his mental jackhammer to work over-time, much to Sonic's displeasure. And whenever he closed his eyes, Sonic was sure that he was seeing stars, or what later he would had described as 'heavy bars of blinding light that left after images burnt on his retina.'

Sonic pressed his fingertips against the sides of his forehead and massaged them. "My head is spinning, my head is spinning," he muttered.

"What was that, Sonic?" a voice asked him from behind. Sonic watched as Sally sat down next to him. Nicole was opened in her hands.

"Oh, hey, Sal. Nothing important," Sonic smirked, scratching behind his ear. "Whatcha doin' anyway?"

Sally turned the small computer so the Sonic could see the small screen. "Uncle Chuck just sent me a carrier pigeon message with a disk. It contained some information that he found in Robotnik's mainframe about the Mechabot," she explained.

"And what did he find?"

"Not a lot. Looks like Robotnik himself didn't even bother to keep files on the thing. So that means he probably won't be using one during Doomsday. Or one ever again."

"That's a relief. Does Rote' still want to talk to me about the Mechabot?" Sonic queried.

"Yes, I'm pretty sure he does."

Sonic rested his chin in the palm of his hand. "'kay. Just tell him that I'm ready whenever he is.

"

"Here, want to take a look at what your uncle found?" Sally offered suddenly, handing Nicole to the hedgehog. Sonic took the computer and examined the small screen, trying to make out the blurred green text against black. The attempt only succeeded in increasing his headache, which brought more discomfort to him. Disgruntled, Sonic passed Nicole back to Sally.

"Maybe I'll have a look later, Sal," he stated as he rubbed at his eyes roughly. Puzzled, Sally deactivated the palm-top computer and clipped it back onto the rim of her boot.

"Are you all right? You don't look very well," Sally questioned, eyes looking over Sonic. When she knew something was wrong with someone that was the first thing she did.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Sonic began. "It's just--"

"What's wrong?" Now Sally really sounded worried. Sonic didn't want her to worry.

"Whoa, whoa, chill, Sal. It's not a big deal," Sonic insisted, smirking a little in hopes that it'll help his friend calm down a little. "I just have a mondo huge headache that's been bugging me for a while, is all."

The look of worry seemed to disappear from Sally's face, not completely but enough to let Sonic know that she wasn't going to start panicking because of it.

"You should be resting then," she finally stated. Sonic couldn't help but roll his eyes. "Ah, Sal. It's not like I'm dying or anything."

"Sonic, if you're sick you should be resting. I can't afford having one of my troops being unwell during battle, you know that," Sally explained.

"But I'm not sick!" Sonic exasperated.

"Don't make me drag you home by the ear, Sonic Hedgehog," Sally threatened. "Now go, I'll tell Rotor where you are." The ground squirrel turned away from Sonic, signifying that that was the end of the conversation.

Uttering a deadpan, "fine", Sonic himself turned and began walking out of the hall, but instead bumped into Bunnie, who was just making her way to where Sally was sitting.

"What 'he heck was that all about, Sugah-hog?" Bunnie exclaimed, surprised expression emphasised by the lilac patches around her eyes. "Ah could hea'h 'he two of ya from way ovah there." She pointed to the other side of the hall, which was a long ways away.

Sonic snorted through his nose and jerked a thumb back towards Sally. "Oh, that. Sal's just being my mother again," he responded.

"Don't make me give you a time-out in the corner, Sonic," Sally said, still not turning. Bunnie began to laugh.

"Well, whatevah she told ya to do, do it now before she decides to ground you."

Sonic raised his hands in a surrendering manner. "Fine, fine. I'll see ya later then, ladies," he grinned, then raced off, making a beeline to his hut. When the winds created in Sonic's wake finally died down Bunnie walked over to Sally and took a seat.

"He's so immature," Sally simply stated. "When father said that one day I might have to lead an army, he didn't say I was going to have any soldiers like Sonic."

"That's our Sugah-hog," Bunnie said cheerfully. "Now mind tellin' me what was going on before?" Sally sighed heavily and leaned back in her chair.

"Sonic told me that he wasn't feeling well, so I said that he should go home and rest. And, of course, he argued," she informed.

"And you argued back," Bunnie added.

"Of course."

"But it's understandable, Sally-girl," Bunnie agreed.

The statement made Sally contemplate it's true meaning for a moment. "What do you mean by that, Bunnie?" she finally questioned, not understanding. Bunnie just smiled and rested her chin on her knuckles.

"Sugah-hog's a pretty close friend. It's understandable that y'all be concerned about him," she answered, grinning all the while.

"Bunnie," Sally exclaimed, surprised by what her friend had just said. "I treat all the Freedom Fighters equally, and everyone is a close friend to me. You know that."

The half robotized rabbit pushed her hair out of her eyes so that they fell in between them. She then glanced down at the shimmering light that reflected off the metallic purple of her robotic arm. Sally knew she only did that when she was thinking something over. Something that was usually the opposite of what someone had just said.

"Bunnie," Sally murmured, hoping to stop the rabbit's train of thought.

"What? Ah wasn't thinkin' nothun'," Bunnie protested, looking at the ground squirrel innocently.

"Yes you were, I know how you work. Now what were you thinking?" Sally pressed.

"Ah swear, nothun'." Bunnie was examining her arm again, fixing her hair with the aid of the reflection the metal created. Sally sighed with frustration, folding her arms and leaning against the table.

Sometimes, she wished that she could read minds. Just so that she knew just what was going on.

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It felt like someone had slammed a hot iron pole against the side of his head.

In a haze Sonic ran his gloved fingers over the area of impact, wincing gingerly as the movements of his facial muscles created more drumming protest.

Sighing tiredly, Sonic snuggled deeper into his pillow and flopped his arm over his head, as if protecting it from the outside force that was possibly causing his head trauma. He wasn't going to follow Sally's order, as he believed that he didn't need to rest just because of a lousy headache, but after he had taken an aspirin Sonic had become extremely dizzy and light-headed, and was forced to lie down. So for the past few hours Sonic had been mostly dozing, only to find that the more he slept the worse the pain in his head became.

"Maybe I'm coming down with something, like the Flu," Sonic mused. "The water was freezing." He reached up to his bandaged shoulder and massaged it carefully. They were aching now, just like they did when one was coming down with a cold or virus. Sonic predicted that the rest of his body would follow suit in the next few hours or so.

Sonic closed his eyes. Yeah, that has to be it. It made sense to him at least. He could be feeling better no sooner than tomorrow; whenever he was sick it didn't last for very long. Out of all the Freedom Fighters Sonic had the strongest constitution health-wise, and it was rarely seen for him to be suffering from any type of illness. That's probably why Sally nearly lost it when he said he wasn't well.

Another thought occurred to the hedgehog: maybe this was the mutation's doing. Sonic remembered Uncle chuck mentioning that it could be another year, even more, until the modifications to Sonic's DNA was completely stable. Maybe he is sick because his body is trying to get use to the metamorphosis.

The next thing he knew there was a soft knocking at his door. Sonic's eyes snapped open and darted about as he tried to figure out where he was. Sonic's eyes stumbled upon his beside table clock, and he was shocked to find that it was almost five o'clock. And he had woken last at around one... Which meant that he had been sleeping for almost four hours.

"But, when did I fall asleep?" Sonic wondered. He couldn't recall doing so. This was starting to get weird.

Meanwhile, the knocking at his door continued.

"Ah, man," Sonic muttered, as he didn't feel like having company right now. But still, he called, "It's open," and groaned afterwards from the jolt of pain the outburst caused.

The doorknob twisted, then the wooden door pushed open.

"Sonic? Are you busy?" Rotor's voice floated in. A second later the walrus poked his head into Sonic's room. Sonic sat up and shook his head. "Nah, Rote'. Come in, take a seat," he offered. "How did you go on the Mecha hunt?"

Rotor walked in and grabbed the back of a nearby chair, pulling it so that it was next to Sonic's bed. He sat down, sighing quietly to himself. "Actually, I didn't find it at all," he explained, his voice revealing that he seemed troubled by the find. Sonic gave him a quizzical look, ears cocking back to emphasise the look.

"But there's no way it could have just got up and walked away. I crushed its head," he exclaimed. Another stab of pain sliced through. Then, oddly enough, a sensation of sudden fatigue washed over him. Sonic pawed at his eyes in an attempt to wake himself a little. He then realised that Rotor was still talking and tried to tune in.

"...there was some grass that looked like it had been scorched by intense heat, so I'm guessing that another 'bot was around the area and had taken the Mecha 'Bot with it..."

Everything sounded so far away to Sonic now. What was going on, he wondered groggily.

"I'm guessing that Robotnik is gonna repair the robot now and try the same stunt again," Rotor continued, looking about Sonic's room idly. But when Rotor looked back to the hedgehog he realised that Sonic had drifted off to sleep. And he was still sitting up. How odd...

Rotor searched around Sonic's room, as if expecting that someone else was seeing this. After finding no such thing, Rotor reached over and hesitantly tapped Sonic on his shoulder, shaking his carefully when he didn't get a response from the blue hedgehog.

"Hey, Sonic. Wake up," he called. Instantly, Sonic's head snapped up as he gasped with shock. He darted his head this way and that, amber eyes wide with confusion.

"What? What?" Sonic blabbed, rubbing at his eyes with the heel of his hand.

"Um, you fell asleep, Sonic," Rotor informed. He was staring at Sonic now, wondering if the blue hedgehog was going crazy.

"I did? When?" Sonic stifled a yawn. Now Rotor was worried.

"Just now. You were really out of it."

Sonic stared at Rotor blankly, then grinned. "Sorry about that, Rote'. Guess I haven't woken up fully yet," he said.

"You were asleep for the whole afternoon."

Guess everyone knew, Sonic thought to himself.

"So the tin can is missing now?" Sonic asked, just to change the subject. Rotor nodded. "And I think that Robotnik has it again," he mused as he fidgeted with the belt strap that fell over his shoulder and wide chest.

"But we're not gonna give him the chance to use it again," Sonic remarked with determination. He didn't want to admit it, but the robot had scared him. Those red eyes still burned in his memory, and the way it tried to kill him; Sonic suppressed a shudder. It was too creepy for him to recollect the memory.

Sonic glanced at his bedside clock. "Almost time for dinner," he observed.

"Are you coming to eat at the Mess Hall? I think the others are," Rotor asked. Sonic considered the idea, but then shook his head to decline.

"I'll stay home this time. I should have some frozen chili sauce left in my kitchen."

"Suit yourself." Rotor made his way to the door and opened it. "I'll see you later, Sonic."

"Later, Rote'."

When Rotor was long gone, Sonic crossed his legs and set his head in his hands. That was the second time he had fallen asleep without realising it. Yet, he didn't feel sick in any way, not including his headache that had increased during his and Rotor's conversation. Sonic pondered this for a moment as he closed his eyes, both so that he could concentrate better and to block out the pain in his head. But then when he opened his eyes and looked at his clock Sonic was again shocked to see that it was now eight o'clock, when before it was only twenty past five.

Okay, that's the third time this has happened. Maybe he should tell someone about this.

Sonic sighed, allowing it to mix with a lamenting growl. It wasn't that serious, and the last thing he wanted to do was have the others worrying about him. Tomorrow he'll feel better and everything will be all right.

With that decided, Sonic kicked off his sneakers and peeled off his gloves, tossing them aside as he crawled into bed. "I might as well get an early night, if I'm gonna keep friggin' falling asleep like this," Sonic scowled flatly, then thumped his pillow into shape. A sudden chill ran down his spine and Sonic shivered. He felt like as if he had been locked in a freezer for hours.

Sonic climbed out of bed tiredly and grabbed and arm full of blankets from his cupboard, flaring them over his bed and again crawling back in. Much better, he thought to himself as he curled up into a tight ball, a strange habit he had somehow picked up. A second later he was in a deep sleep.


	2. Chapter Two

"Sonic!"

The hedgehog cringed, gritting his teeth and turning around stiffly. He relaxed his body when he saw that it was Sally who had called him, but still warned himself that he was still in some danger.

Sally finally reached Sonic. There was a look of mild concern in her eyes, but other than that she seemed to be happy to see Sonic.

"Where have you've been all morning? I've been looking for you," she questioned. At least that told Sonic why she appeared concerned. For most of the morning Sonic had been avoiding contact with his friends, which was unusual especially for him. Sonic was only doing it because he was now feeling quite unwell, with his headache still present and the now sudden cold, clammy feeling he had acquired. He knew that his friends would start worrying about him and start badgering him for answers: he had enough of that since the mutation, and all that had only died down recently.

"Oh, hey, Sal," Sonic began lamely, smiling his trademark grin. "I was just... taking a run around the forest. Burning off some energy, that's all."

Sally gave Sonic a sort of look that said she had the feeling that something was not right. Lately that has been a common sight for Sonic, one that he hoped would die down soon also.

"Okay, do you think you still have some energy left to take me to Robotropolis? Uncle Chuck sent me a message saying that he found something about the Doomsday project that he wants me to see in person," Sally asked. The look was long gone, thankfully.

The pain behind Sonic's eyes seemed to increase just by the mentioning of a run, especially all the way to Robotropolis. Still, Sonic forced a smile and heard himself say: "Sure, Sal. Are ya ready to go now?"

The Princess nodded, and Sonic gently cradled her in his hooked arms. After a short moment of revving his legs, Sonic took off, a long vapour trail of dust and fire marking his path.

Even with Sonic's speed, the trip to the dark city of Robotropolis took at least ten minutes or more, and that according to Sonic was sheer torture to his head. His shoulders were not as forgiving either.

Sonic was now seated on one of the benches in his uncle's secret hideaway, not listening to the techno-babble Sally and his uncle were now exchanging. But from what Sonic could understand, it turned out the Robotnik had perfected the Doomsday Device's mechanisms, and had now posted SWATbot security around the factories that were needed to build the satellite system. That was reported in the first five minutes of the meeting. Now it had taken about half an hour to go over the systematics of the blueprints.

Sonic began tapping his foot against the leg of the bench. He never could just sit still, even when he was sick. Although the stabbing pain in his shoulders had surfaced again, so sitting still through it was out of the question anyway.

Sally looked over her shoulder at Sonic, a scowl on her face. "Sonic, do you mind?" she questioned.

"Only if I get pay by the hour, Sal," Sonic retorted, grinning toothily. The ground squirrel sighed and shook her head.

"Please, just try not to do that for a little bit. It's annoying." With that, Sally turned back to the computer screen, where the blueprints were displayed. The grin on Sonic's face dropped to a playful smirk as he began to look around the hideaway, idly rubbing at his shoulder to ease the pain. Gears and wiring was scattered across the bench he was sitting on, and small camera lenses and speaker grates were also there ready to be installed. The beginnings of another robot bug, the ones that Uncle Chuck used to spy on Robotnik and Snively, sat in the centre of the mess.

Sonic gingerly picked up the robotic bug, which was about the size of a regular cockroach. The hedgehog turned the pseudo-insect with his fingers, looking at it from different angles. Then, loosing interest, he placed it back in its original position on the rickety bench. He was bored again.

"Sal, how much longer?" he asked, tapping an exposed claw on the bench-top. This time it was his uncle that answered.

"We're almost done, Sonnie-boy. Just bare with us for a little longer," Uncle Chuck said, smiling kindly to his nephew. Sonic returned the smile.

"Cool." He ignored Sally, who was shaking her head once again, but couldn't help but notice the small smile she had on her face. He wondered what she had to smile about, on account that the meeting was that of serious business.

Sonic sighed out of boredom and leaned back against the wall, staring at the ceiling. Well, it wasn't much of a ceiling, just a whole series of piping and copper plating, along with pieces of SWATbots that Sonic remembered were poking out on the surface.

Sonic pawed at his eyes as he stared. What he couldn't understand is why his uncle would set up his hideaway at the edge of Robotropolis' dumping grounds. The air was foul smelling, thanks to the pollutants Robotnik's factories spewed into the air everyday, and there were always SWATbots patrolling the area, making the risk of being caught in the act greater. The hedgehog would had preferred it if Uncle Chuck had come back to Knothole instead; Rotor had the equipment needed to build the necessary spying mechanisms, Sonic was sure of it, especially with all that junk that was shoved into the closest at the back of the walrus' workshop.

"Sonic. Sonic!"

Sonic's head snapped up and he stared, bewildered, at Sally. She was standing right in front of her, an annoyed but concerned look on her face.

"Were you that bored, Sonic? You could have gone for a run like you usually do," Sally informed. Sonic then realised that he had fallen asleep again.

"Well, I thought that maybe I'd just stay here for once," Sonic said, while trying to figure out when he had fallen asleep. "Can't a guy make his own decisions every once in a while?"

Sally rolled her eyes. "Whatever, are you ready to go now, or would you rather spend the night here?" she joked. Sonic hopped off the wooden bench and shot a scowling glare at the ground squirrel.

"Yeah, yeah. Let's cruise already."

But just as the two were about to leave, Uncle Chuck called Sonic back. With a shrug aimed at Sally, the hedgehog made his way back to where his uncle was standing, while Sally began climbing up the small staircase that led to the junkyard.

"Is everything all right, Sonic?" Uncle Chuck queried once Sonic had reached him. Sonic sighed at the question, knowing now it was going to be asked a lot once again. Just when everything died down, he lamented to himself.

"Sure, Unc, everything's cool. Why?"

"It just seems to me that something is troubling you, that's all," his uncle replied. "I heard about your little encounter with Robotnik's prototype. That must have jarred you a bit."

Sonic rolled his eyes. "Tell me about it. The stupid tin can tried to drown me in Culgoa Lake!" He heaved a small sigh to calm his headache as it flared. "But I let him have it, totally trashed the thing into scrap metal."

Uncle Chuck gave a hearty laugh, patting his nephew's shoulder. "That's the way, Sonnie-boy. So everything is all right now?" Sonic nodded.

"Are you still up for tomorrow, then?"

Just the mentioning of the events that had been set to take place tomorrow seemed to send a stab of pain through Sonic's body. He struggled not to collapse, but had to lean against the bench he was sitting on earlier. He had totally forgotten about what he and his uncle had planned.

"Actually, Uncle Chuck, maybe not," Sonic responded truthfully, turning away from the older hedgehog so that he couldn't see the concerned look that took over his face. Uncle Chuck approached Sonic and placed a hand onto his still bandaged shoulder.

"So everything is not all right with you, is it?" he probed. Sonic bit at his bottom lip and nodded lightly.

"I haven't really been the best lately," he explained finally, voice low. Somehow it seemed to be easier to talk to his uncle than to his friends about the strange illness that had been with him for what seemed like forever.

"I wouldn't expect you to be after the metamorphosis, Sonic. There's no way you could get use to the extreme changes in two weeks," Uncle Chuck remarked. "Do the others know?"

Sonic shook his head. "I don't want them to, either."

The robotized hedgehog sighed and leaned back on the heels of his feet, looking his nephew over carefully. "It would be better if they did. But see how you go for now. I have to come by Knothole tomorrow anyway to give the Princess some information I'm looking for now," he compromised. "Think you'll be all right to get back home?"

"Yeah, that shouldn't be a problem," Sonic verified. Uncle Chuck smirked and gave Sonic's shoulder a light pat.

"Then you better get going, the Princess is waiting for you."

The two hedgehogs embraced briefly.

"Take care until tomorrow, Sonic," Uncle Chuck said.

"You too, Unc," Sonic returned as he headed up the stairs. The sound of the horizontal door shrieking open reached Sonic's ears, flashing through his head for an agonising moment. It was a challenge to not grab his head to stop it from exploding.

"So what was all that about?" Sally's voice questioned from the top of the staircase. She made her way out the door as Sonic did, then watched the door close and bury itself amongst the scattered junk.

"Just stuff," Sonic shrugged, as if it was no big deal. According to him Sally had no idea about the tests his Uncle Chuck insisted on doing to study the mutation. And in a way, Sonic didn't want her to know about it; it would only result in more badgering and testing. "So you ready to go now?"

"Actually, Uncle Chuck told me about the location of the satellite Robotnik had chosen while you decided to take a cat nap."

To this Sonic shot the Princess a dark glare.

"If it's all right with you I wanted to check it out for any weaknesses," Sally requested in a somewhat sweet voice, as if to redeem the earlier comment. Sonic rolled his eyes but nodded.

"Sure, like you were gonna leave the city without checking the place out anyway." He bent slightly and scooped Sally up into his arms, then revved up his legs and sped off towards the heart of the city.

As he raced through the city's mazes of streets and alleys everything to Sally became a blur, but then that always happened whenever she rode with Sonic. The speeding winds flowed into her face, whipping her hair about, and reminding Sally that if Sonic encountered anything in the road and tripped she could find herself one hundred yards ahead without Sonic's aid.

The reminder startled her in an unknown way, and Sally found herself tightening her grip around Sonic's neck and bringing herself closer to his body.

"Whassamatter, Sal? You ain't scared, are ya?" Sonic whispered directly into Sally's ear, so that she could hear him. Communication was close to impossible whenever he was carrying someone while running.

Remembering this Sally shook her head, and gave a thumbs up to tell Sonic that she was fine, to which he returned with his trademark grin. She knew that she was safe with Sonic; he would never risk a friend's life, especially hers because they were so close to each other in more than one way.

Sally blinked, somewhat stunned. Where did that thought come from?

Sally glanced at Sonic for a moment, trying to figure out where that thought came from. Sonic and her were just friends, since they were children back in Mobotropolis. That's all.

Bunnie's words simply had gotten to her somehow.

"Is this the place, Sal?" Sonic's voice whispered again, startling Sally back into reality. The ground squirrel looked ahead and saw the series of buildings and warehouses that occupied the southwest side of Robotropolis. Amongst the mess of intimidating cracked concrete shells and worn down frames stood an almost completed warehouse, guarded by SWATbots all around it. More SWATbots were manning machinery of construction, slicing the silent air with drilling shrieks and ear-splitting screams.

Sally looked up at Sonic, noticing that with each sound he would wince painfully and flatten his ears to block them out. She felt the winds die down gradually as Sonic began to slow down, until he came to a stop behind a nearby building. As soon as he set Sally down Sonic grabbed at his head and gave a small groan, dipping his head forward slightly.

"Are you all right?" Sally asked, and stood next to Sonic. Sonic nodded as he massaged at his temples.

"Yeah, just the noise was hurting my ears," he explained, shooting a scowl towards the construction site. A look of obvious pain was in the hedgehog's large eyes. Sally looked towards the construction site again with slight hesitation.

"Think you can go closer for a little while?" she questioned. Sonic simply nodded, then began to make his way towards the construction site before Sally could protest. Neither of them noticed as a Spy Orb, literally a robotic ball with a camera embedded into its centre that could hover with the aid of its hidden hover-jets, stealthily followed them into the building.

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At that point Snively had just walked back into the surveillance room, a large Styrofoam cup filled with what a tastebud-less fool would call coffee.

As Snively glared down at his cup, dreading the fact that he was going to force himself to drink the stuff just to stay awake, he sat back at his station in front of the large wall of computer monitors and went to continue his research, only to be interrupted by an emergency red alert from a computer next to him. Sighing, Snively deactivated the alert and called up the surveillance recall. Instantly the grey-scaled images of Sally and Sonic blinked onto the screen.

Snively's hand crept its way to the intercom device and activated it. "Sir, the hedgehog and the Princess have been sighted near..." Snively paused to refer to the camera's read-out. "Factory Site 07F. Should I send out a SWATbot squadron to capture them?"

There was static-like silence coming from Robotnik's end of the intercom, and for a moment Snively worried that the dictator was not present.

"Negative, Snively," Robotnik's voice rasped after an interval. "Deploy the Mecha Unit instead."

"But, Sir. The Mecha Unit hasn't been fully repaired," Snively argued, then regretted the outburst. Before Robotnik could begin yelling at him Snively cut off the communication and sent the order directly to the Mecha Bot. At least Robotnik would now only have to yell at him for cutting him off in the middle of a conversation.

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"Looks like the satellite is going to be massive," Sally observed from their hiding place. They were no less than about three metres away from the construction site, hidden behind a series of half demolished walls.

Sonic stared at the site with disinterest, wishing that they could have been a little more away from it. The noise from this distance was painful to his sensitive ears. But then on the other hand Sonic was impressed at how much his hearing had improved through the mutation. Ever since yesterday morning when he heard Sally coming towards his living quarters he wondered just how much his senses had improved.

Then he realised that Sally had taken Nicole out and was scanning the site, recording all the systematics of the area. Sonic could just make out a large amount of numbers flashing across Nicole's small screen. He shook his head as his vision blurred.

"You okay?" Sally asked, looking away from Nicole's screen. She had caught Sonic's movement from the corner of her eye. And now that she looked closely, the hedgehog didn't look too well again.

"Yeah, just the noise," Sonic lied. "So how much longer?"

"Just a couple of minutes. I'll try to be quick so we can move away sooner," Sally stated, turning back to Nicole. She knew she wasn't going to get any truthful answers from Sonic, at least now.

Sonic sighed and placed his arms onto the top of the demolished wall, tapping his fingers rhythmically. When the noise did become too much he flattened his ears and closed his eyes, hoping that he wasn't going to fall asleep this time without realising it. He didn't want to be badgered by Sally.

It was a few minutes later that Sonic heard another noise besides the ones from the construction site. With a start his head jolted up, his ears perking up on instinct and cocking about, trying to find where the sound had come from. He didn't notice that the quills on his back were slowly bristling, nor the fur on his somewhat long tail.

"What? What's the matter?" Sally asked, a sliver of alarm in her voice. She had never seen Sonic react like this, and it was scaring her more than the possible threat that Sonic had heard.

Quickly Sonic hushed her as he looked over his shoulder. The sound had come from somewhere behind...

Before he had a chance to react Sonic was tackled to the ground.

"Sonic!" Sally cried. Sonic barely heard her as his head slammed into a half built concrete wall. A second later a steel hand raked across his face, what fingers that still had claws attached leaving thin cuts as a reminder. Sonic hollered in pain as his headache pounded and pulsed along the new lactations, making him feel dizzy and sick. A kick to his side made the feeling worse.

For a moment Sonic's vision blurred as another kick was planted into the same spot, sparking more pain. After about three kicks Sonic couldn't even feel his side any more. He struggled to open his eyes, but when he did he was horrified to find that his attacker was Mecha Sonic.

But I destroyed him, didn't I? Sonic wondered to himself just before the robot punched him in the face. The robot looked worse for wear, most of the paint on his face had been cleared away, along with some of the steel covering that formed its face. All the circuitry underneath was revealed, reminding Sonic of what normal Mobians' veins under their skin would look like. Some of the robot's fingers were either missing or bent out of shape; some of the deadly diamond-tipped claws missing still, and the left leg was also bent out of shape. It looked useless to Sonic.

Then the robot used that bent out of shape leg to knee Sonic in the stomach, and followed the attack by yanking at a fistful of Sonic's head-quills.

In blinded pain Sonic lashed out, managing to score a hit to the Mecha's eye. Again Sonic hollered as an unexpected surge of electricity coursed through his own claws and all over his body. He did not even see that Mecha Sonic's own cold metal body was arched in a robot's representation of pain, nor did he hear Sally's frantic screaming.

Where Sonic's claws had inserted themselves into Mecha Sonic's eye socket a concentrated red light began to glow as the robot's system overloaded with the uncontrolled power. With a great explosion Sonic and the robot were repelled, flying in opposite directions of one another. The Mecha Bot crashed into a brick wall, the force of the impact strong enough to cause the wall to collapse. As the bricks showered over Mecha Sonic, Sonic himself was thrown into a pile of what use to be a wall, which had been destroyed hours earlier by the Worker Bots to make room for the new building. Sonic hit the pile with a loud grunt, slumping back in an awkward position. Sharp jabs of pain flickered through his back and head, and he realised that some corners of the bricks were jabbing into him. His head spun, making him feel faint and his stomach lurch.

From somewhere to his left Sonic could hear Sally as she scampered over the debris to his side. Gently, but hastily, she helped the dazed hedgehog to sit up.

"Come on, get moving. SWATbots are coming," she hissed, pulling Sonic to his feet and dragging him down the street. They ducked behind a large garbage dumpster just as a small troop of SWATbots made it to the scene.

"Priority One Hedgehog and Priority Two Princess Sally have escaped, Sir," one SWATbot reported via its communication device as the rest of the squadron were slowly unearthing Mecha Sonic from the rubble. Behind the dumpster Sally held her breath.

"Status report on Mecha Unit," Robotnik's voice requested over the comm-link, disappointed that Sonic and the Princess had managed to overpower the Mecha Bot. At that point the group of digging SWATbots had uncovered the mentioned robot, finding it to be, once again, completely destroyed. Upon report of the finding Robotnik growled in frustration.

"Find the hedgehog and the Princess, and bring them back to me alive," he ordered. The SWATbot saluted and cut off the communication, replayed the order to the troop and set off in the opposite direction that Sally and Sonic were hiding.

After five agonising minutes Sally stood from her place and looked down the street, scanning for any signs of the SWATbots. When she saw nothing she turned back towards Sonic and crouched down next to him. He was curled up against the dumpster, trying desperately to not moan in pain. His right hand, which was the one that had stabbed into the robot's eye, was blackened from the blast and appeared to be bleeding. A small, but concerning bruise had begun to develop on his left side where he had been kicked. Small trickles of blood slid down his face, staining the tanned fur of his muzzle. Sally also noted that the bandages around his shoulders had come loose.

"Are you all right, Sonic?" Sally questioned softly, fighting to keep her voice as calm as possible. She was still shook up from the surprise attack of the assassin robot, and the way Sonic looked now wasn't comforting.

Sonic uncurled himself and leaned against the wall, gazing at Sally. He lifted a hand to his bleeding face. "Yeah, I think so," he murmured, when really that wasn't true. The injuries he had sustained had made him feel worse than he felt that morning. It felt like to him that the pain of his headache had spread to his whole body, dizzying him.

"Can you stand?" Sally asked, offering a hand to the hedgehog. Sonic allowed Sally to carefully loop her arm around his shoulders and pulled him to his feet. Sonic lurched as blood rushed to his head quickly, and he had to lean against Sally to stop himself from falling.

"Come on, let's get you home before the SWATbots come this way," Sally suggested, and began their gradual trek out of Robotropolis.

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"Are you sure you're all right?"

Sonic sighed for what felt like the thousandth time. "Yes, I'm fine. Just a little sore," he exasperated, rolling his eyes. He then winced as Sally streaked another swab of medical alcohol across his cheek, where a long but thin cut was.

"Y'all shure as heck don' look all right ta me, Sugah-hog," Bunnie pointed out and she took the used swab from Sally and dumped it in a nearby rubbish bin, then passed another split-end band-aid.

The statement was true, however. The bruise on Sonic's side had swelled considerably, so an ice pack had been applied to it. There was another bruise near Sonic's left eye, but nothing had been done for it as yet. The burns on his hand had been smeared with burn balm and wrapped with loose bandages. For most of the trip back home Sonic had been delirious with pain and illness, and was unable to function correctly, but the long trip served to help him recover. At the moment he was almost back to normal, if only a little irritated by Sally and Bunnie's constant worrying. Sally had called Bunnie to aid when she and Sonic had reached the village, as Bunnie had a vast knowledge of basic first-aid. Sonic had refused the help of a doctor.

With a faint growl Sonic pressed his face in his free hand, stopping Sally from working on the cuts. "I'm fine. Don't worry about it, okay?" he hissed, voice muffled. Once again his back quills bristled, startling Sally. She looked to Bunnie to see her reaction to the hedgehog's action, but the cyborg rabbit was facing the other way, making her way to the bathroom.

"Dun be so stubborn, Sugah-hog. We'all won't think less of ya if ya admit y'all need som' help," Bunnie commented as she disappeared in the bathroom. It was obvious that she hadn't seen what Sally did. "Now where do ya keep th' cotton buds in heah?"

"Under the basin somewhere I think," Sonic called, face still covered with his large hand.

Carefully Sally sat down next to Sonic and moved his hand away from his face, lifting it by placing her hand under his chin. "You could have been killed today," she pointed out bluntly. Sonic's quills flattened themselves, the rage that influenced the reaction now dwindling to just light annoyance.

"Sal, you know I would have been all right. It was just a sneak attack, it caught me off-guard," Sonic sighed, moving away from Sally's reach. He began pawing at the cuts on his face, noticing that some blood stained his glove. Sally grabbed his hand to make him stop.

"I know. But it just seems like you haven't been acting like yourself lately," she admitted. "Is everything all right?"

Sonic drew his knees to his chest, trying not to react to the sharp pain the movement caused from his bruise. He rested his head on his knees and just sighed. "Yeah, everything's fine," he finally answered.

"Are you sure? I realise it must be hard for you to adjust to the mutation's changes," Sally justified.

"You don't know the half of it," Sonic murmured in a low voice. It wasn't what was really bothering him, but Sonic realised that Sally had given him an opportunity to try and steer the subject into a different direction, just so he wouldn't have to admit that he wasn't well.

"Is there some way I can help? Or if not me then perhaps one of the others?" Sally queried.

"Nah, this is something I gotta figure out on my own. But thanks anyway, Sal," Sonic said.

"Ah got 'he cotton buds," Bunnie suddenly called, walking into the bedroom. She then noticed that Sally was now sitting next to Sonic, quite closely as well.

"Ah didn't interrupt somethang, did Ah?" Bunnie asked, then passed the packet of cotton buds to Sally. Sally took them and began tearing at the plastic wrap with her claws.

"No, just making sure everything's okay," Sally said as she pulled out a bud and grabbed the rubbing alcohol. "Now are you going to let me clean up these cuts, Sonic?"

Sonic stared at Sally, then silently nodded.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

"It's starting to get late," Sally observed quietly.

"Wha' was that, Sally-girl?" Bunnie questioned, looking up from the book she was reading. She was sitting with Sally outside the narrow veranda of her hut, while Sally was doing research on Nicole. Neither had spoken over the hours of the morning, both absorbed with their activities. The main reason they were sitting together was for the other's company. Around them the villagers were moving about, doing their daily chores. Again this was barely noticed by the two.

"It's starting to get late," Sally repeated as she took a quick glance at her wristwatch. "And Sonic isn't up yet."

"Oh," Bunnie drawled, smiling slightly. "He's probably still sleepin', or just decided to stay at his place fer 'he day."

"He would have told me if he was doing that. And I would imagine he would come out at least to get some breakfast, but he wasn't in the Mess Hall this morning," Sally explained. When she looked away from Nicole's screen to look at Bunnie she saw that the rabbit had a concerned look on her face.

"That is a bit of a worry, Ah guess," she mused at length. She marked her place in her book and closed it, placing it on the veranda. "Do y'all want me ta check up on him fer ya?"

Sally considered the offer, but then shook her head. "I'll go. I want to have a talk with him first, just to make sure everything's as okay as he says it is. Somehow I don't believe him."

"Give him Hell, Sally-girl," Bunnie cheered as Sally walked down the short flight of steps and made her trek towards Sonic's hut, which was almost completely opposite to her own. Once she reached it Sally rapped her knuckles on the door, calling out Sonic's name. From her place Bunnie watched in anticipation.

Sally stood outside Sonic's door for a couple of minutes, then knocked again. When the second attempt to get Sonic's attention failed Sally looked at Bunnie and shrugged, the expression on her face telling Bunnie that she was clueless as to where the hedgehog could be. Bunnie started gesturing to Sally to go inside.

"Are you nuts?" Sally called, forgetting to keep quiet just in case Sonic was indeed still asleep. The idea of just walking into Sonic's hut without his permission made Sally feel like she was intruding. Besides, what if he was doing something and didn't want to be interrupted?

"Jerst go in, sugah-hog wouldn't take yer head off or anythang," Bunnie called back. To emphasis the comment she began making the same gestures from before.

"Fine," Sally muttered to herself, turning away from Bunnie and tried the door. She was surprised to find that it was unlocked.

"Go already. This ain't a murder mystery," Bunnie exclaimed, managing to get a few stares from any Mobians that were close enough to hear her. Sally finally walked in, if only to not see the stares Bunnie was getting. Then she found Sonic, still in bed, and appearing to be in a deep sleep. She walked out instantly, shutting the door behind her, and made her way back to where Bunnie was waiting.

"Well?" she asked when Sally reached her.

"He's still asleep," Sally answered, a tone of disbelief in her voice. Bunnie sighed.

"And ya didn't wake him?"

"I didn't want to. It was bad enough I was in his hut in the first place," Sally exasperated. Before Bunnie could protest Sally silenced her. "All right, all right. This time I'll bring Sonic something to eat and wake him, does that sound okay to you?"

"Now that's a good idea, Sally-girl," Bunnie agreed. "Go do it now."

"You just don't give up, do you?"

A few minutes later Sally was once again standing outside Sonic's hut. Like she had planned she had a small plate filled with a couple of chilidogs, which had been saved from the fate of being thrown out by the cooks of the Mess Hall when they had realised that Sonic wasn't going to come and have them for breakfast.

With her free hand Sally knocked, again getting the same response: nothing. She opened the door and walked in, this time taking in Sonic's sleeping form. Sonic was stretched out to his full height, face partly smothered in the pillow, and all together looking dead to the world. Or at least deadly exhausted, Sally noted. Maybe he didn't get much sleep last night like Bunnie suggested. The fact that he was buried in about five thick blankets was a bit of a worry as well, seeing as it wasn't cold at all last night.

Silently, Sally set the plate down on Sonic's bedside table and sat on his bed. "Sonic," she whispered. "Sonic, wake up."

There was no reaction from the hedgehog, or a hint that he had hear Sally's callings. So Sally began shaking Sonic by his shoulder, being carefully to avoid the cuts, and called out his name a little louder. She began to worry when once again Sonic didn't respond. Not sure what she should do now, Sally slid her arm under Sonic's side and rolled him to his back, holding his head as it lolled to the side.

At least now he would be more comfortable, Sally mused to herself.

As she pulled away from Sonic Sally's hand brushed lightly over Sonic's cheek, which got a sort of response from him. With a contented sigh Sonic moved slightly and opened his eyes a sliver, focussing onto Sally's form.

"Sal?" he murmured, voice barely above a whisper. In a panic Sally whipped her hand away from Sonic, feeling her cheeks flush red-hot. For some reason she felt embarrassed that Sonic had caught her in his room.

"Yeah, it's me," she fumbled, pressing her hand on her cheek in an attempt to cool it. She watched closely as Sonic pushed himself into a sitting position, leaning against the wall. She noted that Sonic seemed to move stiffly, like it hurt him to move.

"What are you doing here?" Sonic gave Sally a dozy, but curious stare. Somehow that seemed to make Sally blush further.

"I--uh--I brought you something to eat," she finally stammered, jerking her head towards the plate of chilidogs she had left on the bedside table. Sonic continued to stare at her, then turned and followed her gesture, gazing at the plate without interest.

"Thanks," he said simply as he pressed his forehead into the palm of his hand. Sally felt a twang on sympathy tug at her heart.

"How do you feel?" she asked cautiously. In response Sonic gave a sort of faintly frustrated sigh, whether it was aimed at the question or the subject of the question Sally didn't know, and rubbed at his eyes lightly.

"I have a splitting headache. I think I got that from when I was smashed into that wall yesterday," he explained, rubbing at the area where the headache originated. "And this bruise is killing me."

Sally leaned over so that Sonic's left side was clearly visible. The bruise had swelled up twice its size from yesterday, and was an unruly purplish-green that showed through his fur. At least it explained why it seemed to pain the hedgehog when he moved.

"Do you want some aspirin?" Sally offered, to which Sonic shook his head.

"Nah, I'll take one later. But could I have some water, please?" he asked.

"Sure." Sally stood and began to walk over to Sonic's kitchenette, upon reaching it she opened one of the cupboards and pulled out a glass.

As she made her way to refrigerator Sally peered over her shoulder towards Sonic, his whole form still in perfect view. His body was hunched over, with his right arm supporting his chest and his free hand holding his head. There was a pained yet tired expression on his face, which Sally now noticed seemed a touch pale. Sally moaned as she padded back to Sonic, glass of water in hand. He wasn't even trying to pretend that there was nothing wrong with him any more, she lamented mentally.

"Here," she murmured, handing the glass to Sonic, then sat back onto the bed.

"Thanks, Sal," Sonic said gratefully, taking a large gulp from the contents. Sally watched him carefully as he drained the glass quickly.

"Maybe you should see Doctor Quack about your injuries, they could be worse than they look."

Sonic swallowed the last of the water quickly and wiped at his mouth with the back of his hand. "Nah, I'll be fine. I just slept on my side wrong, and I guess I'm just a little shook up, is all," he persuaded.

"You weren't feeling well yesterday, were you?" Sally questioned, so suddenly it caught Sonic off guard.

"Well I--you see--" Sonic surprisingly couldn't think of anything to say to the question.

"Just tell me the truth, please?" Sally exasperated, looking Sonic straight in the eye. He could see nothing but concern in her large sky blue eyes. It felt for a moment that he was lost in their depths. Somehow Sonic always saw a form of power in Sally's eyes; a power that he could not describe. All he knew that whenever he looked into them something inside him seemed to click into place.

"Yeah, I was kinda sick yesterday," Sonic eventually admitted, and began to rub at the back of his neck nervously. Sally sighed and shook her head.

"Why didn't you say something? If I had known you weren't well I wouldn't have made you go into Robotropolis with me," she bewailed, bowing her head. Now Sonic felt guilty.

"Well you needed to go. And there was no way I was gonna make ya walk all the way to the city alone," Sonic explained, hoping that that would help. "And you could have been attacked by that robot. And none of us would have known until it would have been too late."

Sally's head snapped up at what Sonic said. She stared at him bewildered for a silent moment, then just mumbled, "Really?"

"Yeah really. I know for a fact that if the others found out that I had let you wander off to Robo-Town alone, then got hurt, they would have lynched me," Sonic clarified. He noticed with that comment something seemed to disappear from Sally's eyes.

"Oh, I see." Sally had turned away from Sonic's view and began fidgeting with the ends of her vest. Soon Sonic found himself doing the same with one of his blankets, until Sally stood and started making her way to the door.

"If you do feel any worse please tell me, okay? Then I'll get Doctor Quack to make an appointment for you," she offered.

"Yeah, sure thing, Sal," Sonic nodded. "Was that all you wanted to see me about?"

Sally paused at the door and considered. "No, just checking up on you. Though I think you should get out of bed now, your Uncle Chuck is coming by and I don't think he'll want to see you in bed still." She had turned to smile sweetly at Sonic, who groaned.

"Aw man. I still hafta get up anyway?" he whined, a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"Felines are famous for being big sleepers. Remember that, Sonic," Sally responded, then left the hut, closing the door behind her. Sonic stared at the door, then dropped his gaze to his folded hands.

"What the heck does she mean by that? I'm not a feline."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

"What in the name of Chaos happened to you, Sonnie?" Uncle Chuck exclaimed.

Embarrassed, Sonic looked down to his sneakers, shuffling them on the floor. "I fell?" he ventured, only gazing up with his eyes at his uncle. Towards his left Bunnie began giggling quietly at the hedgehog's lame attempt, making Sonic grin with mischief. All of the Freedom Fighters were gathered in Sally's hut to listen to the explanations of the latest reports Uncle Chuck had to offer against Robotnik's latest developments. But then the elderly hedgehog was distracted by his nephew's current condition, much to Sonic's frustration.

"We had a little run-in with Robotnik's Mecha Sonic unit. Though Sonic did enough damage to it to put it out of commission for good this time," Sally explained. She stepped up to Sonic and lifted his head with her hand so Uncle Chuck could get a better look at the injuries.

"I'm just glad you weren't killed, lad. Robotnik made that robot to be a born killer," Uncle Chuck sighed. He ran a cold thumb over the bruise near Sonic's eye. "But are you sure you're all right?"

"I'm fine, Unc. Just a bit sore," Sonic responded shortly. He caught Sally's worried glance from the corner of his eyes but ignored it.

"Even so, it would be a good idea for you to take it easy for today. That bruise on your side looks pretty bad, and I don't want you causing any more damage to it," Uncle Chuck instructed sternly, then patted Sonic on his shoulder. Sonic leaned back against Sally's wall and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Yeah, suppose that's a good idea," he murmured, then stifled a yawn. Sally raised an eyebrow at the action, but said nothing as Sonic took a seat with the others.

Eventually Uncle Chuck began going over some of the reports he had found yesterday, explaining briefly over anything of interest and answering the Freedom Fighters' questions when they had any. Sonic however was spaced-out for most of the discussion, but not in the usual bored way he was like during meetings. His dizziness had become stronger over time, and he felt like as if he had down a whole lap of Mobius in less than three seconds. Everything he heard was muddled up and seemed to make his headache worse. Sonic shook his head to clear it, only to regret doing so as the pain bounced and throbbed about his head. Then he just barely felt someone tap him on his shoulder. Startled, Sonic looked around to find who had done it, and came face to face with Bunnie.

"Sugarhog? You okay?" Bunnie whispered. She glanced up at Uncle Chuck and Sally, seeing that they both had their backs turned to them.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Sonic whispered back. He leaned back in his chair and stifled another yawn, then pawed at his eyes. This, unfortunately, Sally managed to catch as she turned around.

"Is everything okay, Sonic? You keep yawning," she commented as she walked over to the hedgehog. Sonic shrugged as he pawed at his eyes.

"I can't help it, sorry. Just feel tired all of a sudden."

"Go outside then, and get some fresh air. You're probably still recovering from yesterday. We'll be in here if you need anything," Uncle Chuck offered, gesturing towards the door. Sonic followed his gesture, then nodded in agreement.

"All right, then I'll see ya later on, Unc."

"Count on it, Sonnie," Uncle Chuck replied.

Sonic exited the hut and began making his way to his hut, but then changed his mind and headed for the Ring Pool outside the village. At least there he knew he would get some privacy.

The hedgehog sat himself down in front of a large Oak tree and leaned back, then began rubbing tenderly at his eyes. It was warm now, not overly hot as there was a cool breeze blowing through the village, making the temperature pleasant. Sonic sighed as the breeze picked up slightly and blew through his quills and fur, ruffling his fur. Sonic allowed a slight chill run through him before he moved into a pool of sunlight, instantly feeling the sun warming him. At least he didn't feel dizzy any more, but his headache still lingered. Sonic pawed at his head again, hoping that it would help ease it.

After sitting there for a while he began to feel a little better, and concluded clumsily that keeping still actually calmed his odd illness.

"As long as I don't have to run to Robo-Town or battle insane mechabots I should be fine in no time," Sonic commented to himself as he carefully slid himself into a lying down position. He hoped Sally or Uncle Chuck wouldn't mind it if he missed the briefing, but then at the same time he had already heard it all.

"Or kinda, at least," he muttered. Another breeze whistled passed him, feeling a touch warmer than before. Sonic closed his eyes to avoid getting dust in them, but at the same time became aware at how warm he felt. When he opened his eyes Sonic saw that the breeze had managed to shake a few leaves from their branches, and watched as they began tumbling down to the ground. He became mesmerised by them.

Sonic didn't even realise that he had fallen asleep until someone's voice entered his sub-conscious mind.

"Sugah-hog, wake up already," the voice scowled.

"Huh? Wha--?" Sonic muttered, snapping awake and looking around for the source of the disturbance.

"Mah stars, sugah. Y'all shure c'n sleep," Bunnie declared as she seated herself next to the blue hedgehog. Sonic pushed himself into a sitting position and yawned, stretching his arms over his head as he did so.

"Oh, Bunnie," he said lamely. "Sorry 'bout that."

Bunnie waved it off. "Aw heck, Don't worry about it. But Ah hafta say, it's not lakh ya at all ta fall asleep in th' middle of th' day," she commented. Sonic simply shrugged.

"Yeah, I know. I just didn't get much sleep last night, that's all," he lied. Bunnie frowned with concern.

"That c'n't be good. At least it explains why y'all were nearly noddin' off in th' briefin'," she said. "But y'all okay, right?"

Sonic sighed inwardly and glared at the cyborg rabbit. "You're not gonna start now, are you?"

Bunnie raised her hands in defence, smiling innocently. "No no, Ah was jerst askin'. Y'all didn't look th' greatest yesterday when y'all got home," she insisted. Sonic flattened his ears, then backed down.

"I suppose that's true." Sonic dropped his gaze to the ground and began to drum his fingers on his sneaker. Every once in a while he would unsheathe a claw and tap it against the metal base of it. From the corner of his eyes he saw Bunnie stiffen and again sighed quietly.

"Who else has been buggin' ya about this?" Bunnie questioned, as if to make Sonic not notice her edginess.

"Mainly Sally. I don't think anyone else has taken much notice yet," Sonic shrugged. Bunnie nodded, a smile developing on her lips.

"Well, you an' Sally-girl are pretty close though, right?" she asked. Sonic stopped tapping his shoe and stared at Bunnie.

"Well yeah, pretty close. But then we're like that with all of you guys, too," he answered as he sat up straighter.

"But Ah was askin' about th' two of you specifically," Bunnie pointed out. Sonic continued to stare.

"You're creeping me out, Bunnie," Sonic murmured after an interval. He stood and brushed the dirt from his fur. "I think I'll go for a walk now, just to wake myself up a bit. I'll catch ya later."

"There's another meetin' tomarrah at eleven in Sally-girl's hut," Bunnie called after him. Sonic waved to the rabbit in acknowledgement.

Sonic began making his way away from the lake and into the forest, deciding that it would be a good idea to leave the village for a while, just so no one else would come after him. At the moment he felt a little irritable from his sickness, so the last thing he wanted to do was snap at any of his friends.

He had walked aimlessly for about fifteen minutes when he realised just how thirsty he felt. And somehow the temperature of the day seemed a lot higher than it did before. Sonic gazed up through the forest's canopy, seeing through the few gaps the leaves allowed that the sun was directly above him. But it never was this hot, was it?

Sonic sat down on a nearby rock just so he could cool down a little. He could feel beads of sweat forming under his fine fur, making him itch slightly. He clawed at his bandaged shoulders, thinking about where he could find something to drink. He didn't want to go back to the village just yet; somehow the walking made him feel more ill.

"Stupid illness, just get lost already," Sonic muttered to himself. He stood and continued walking, cursing his illness.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sally looked up from the maps Uncle Chuck was showing her as Bunnie entered the hut.

"Was he all right, Bunnie?" she questioned, turning away from her desk to face the rabbit completely. Bunnie hesitated for a heartbeat, then nodded.

"He seemed all right ta me, though he was sleepin' when Ah found him," she explained. Sally sighed.

"There must be something else wrong," she muttered to herself.

"Why would y'all say that, Sally-girl?" Bunnie questioned, raising an eyebrow curiously. It was Sally's turn to hesitate.

"I think I know what you might be talking about, Princess," Uncle Chuck offered. "Sonic did tell me yesterday that he wasn't doing too well for a little while."

Sally stared at the robotized hedgehog, then scowled. Not to Uncle Chuck himself but to Sonic. "I can't believe he didn't tell me before. I only found out this morning," she said.

"So Sonic did tell you eventually?" Uncle Chuck asked. Sally nodded.

"I used reverse psychology on Sonic. Good thing that old trick still works," she added with a smirk. "Now if only I could figure out why he is so stubborn about things like this."

Uncle Chuck began gathering all of his documents, sorting through the ones he thought might be of use to Sally. "Well you know Sonic, he feels that he doesn't want everyone to be worrying about him. It can get frustrating, especially after his metamorphosis," he commented.

"I suppose that's a good point. But it's not doing Sonic any good if he keeps this to himself. What if something serious is wrong with him?"

"Then Sonic will approach one of us about it."

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"So thirsty," Sonic lamented, struggling to swallow. His throat felt dry as sand, and his tongue felt like it had swollen to three times its original size. And it was unbearably hot all of a sudden.

The ailing hedgehog swept a paw over his forehead, then pawed at his watering eyes. If only he had some water...

Sonic's ears suddenly perked to a new sound coming from the forest. He stopped short and listened carefully, cocking his ears about every so often. Once again he was thankful for his improved hearing, as Sonic identified the sound as running water. He took off to his left, where he was sure the sound was coming from.

By the time he reached the water's source Sonic was panting and gasping for air, wincing as his lungs tried to knot themselves. He leaned against a nearby tree to catch his breath, and to clear his head of the nauseating dizziness he was now experiencing. But it was worth it for in front of his was a large river mouth, complete with a tall waterfall. Dotted under the waterfall were clutters of rocks, darkened and slick from the constant downpour.

Sonic looked around to get his bearings, and noticed near the riverbank that there was a small patch of grass scorched black, like as if from a small fire. More examination of the area revealed a nearby tree with small holes bored into them, and a tiny patch of dry blood splattered on it.

"Whoa, I walked all the way to Culgoa River," Sonic marvelled. Culgoa River was at least ten miles away from Knothole Village. No wonder he felt so drained. And the remains of his first battle with the Mecha Bot were still present, which surprised Sonic further.

As soon as Sonic recovered from his dizziness he began to carefully make his way to the waterfall, being mindful to keep his grip on the rocks or else he'll be getting more water than he wanted. He made it close to the end of the waterfall, instantly feeling the cool vapour in the air.

Sonic went to his knees and bent down to drink, but saw at the corner of his eye a Greater Stag, creature that was common around the Great Forest. Sonic paused to gaze at the creature, noticing its long antlers and large frame. Greater Stags were infamous for their short tempers, especially when an intruder came near its territory. Sonic hoped he wasn't near it, as he didn't think he could escape without some form of harm, especially in his condition.

"Just keep away from me..." Sonic drawled as he bent down to take a drink. He noticed the Greater Stag do the same thing and relaxed. Most likely this river mouth was its watering hole. Sonic began lapping up the cool water, cringing at the strange taste that lingered in it.

"Must be from the waterfall," Sonic pondered. So he moved further away from the waterfall and drank from the main part of the river mouth, finding the same taste a lot fainter there. Meanwhile the Greater Stag had stopped drinking, and was now cocking its head about. Sonic dunked his head under the surface, bringing it out quickly and gasping. The water was freezing, but still refreshing after walking in the sun for so long. He took another quick drink before standing and making his way to the riverbank.

"Man, that's way better," he sighed, wiping his face dry. He still felt dizzy, and a little more nauseous from drinking so much water quickly, but at least he wasn't thirsty any more. He started heading back home; now would be a good time to before everyone began wondering where he was.

He didn't notice the second Greater Stag hidden in the bushes near the river. If he did he would have seen that it was dead. The first Greater Stag Sonic saw had collapsed hours after he had seen it.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Uncle Chuck gathered the last of his things and began making his way out Sally's hut. "I think I better get going before Robotnik realises that I'm missing," he explained.

"I should apologise on Sonic's behalf, he has never wandered off like this before," Sally sighed as she quickly swept her forelock out of her eyes.

"No, don't worry about it. I'm sure my nephew didn't mean to stay out so long. I can easily come back tomorrow," Uncle Chuck assured. Sally walked with the hedgehog out to the edge of the village, but kept her head down so that she was staring at the ground.

"Sonic will be fine you know. He's just finding it hard to adjust to all the changes," Uncle Chuck stated, placing a comforting hand on Sally's shoulder. Sally gazed up at Uncle Chuck and mustered a small smile.

"I know, it just he seems so different now lately," she said. "Sonic's never been like this before and I'm just worried about him."

"It's not easy to not worry, Princess. But trust me, Sonic will be fine. This is just something he wants to figure out on his own."

"That's what he said."

The two Mobians reached the beaten path that led in and out of the village, where they found he subject of their discussion leaning against a tree, not more than about five feet ahead of the two.

"There you are," Sally exasperated, and walked over to the hedgehog, Uncle Chuck in tow. But the closer they got to Sonic the more they realised something wasn't right. Sonic was leaning all his weight against the tree, head bowed and held in one hand. Even from where Sally and Uncle Chuck stood they could hear Sonic's heavy breathing.

"Sonic are you all right?" Sally questioned once she had reached Sonic. When the hedgehog didn't answer immediately Sally lifted his head, and both her and Uncle Chuck gasped in shock. Sonic's face was extremely pale, one step away from being white, and his eyes were slightly red and rimmed with black, appearing glazed. His breathing sounded laboured, like as if he had been running for hours. But Sonic had only been gone for about two.

"Chaos and Order, what's the matter Sonic?" Sally breathed. Sonic simply shook his head deliriously.

"I... I dunno, I just..." Sonic groaned and dipped his head, leaning further against the tree. Now his face was completely white, and his body had begun trembling.

Uncle Chuck took a hold of Sonic's arm and hooked it around his shoulders. Sally did the same with Sonic's other arm.

"Come on, lad. Let's get you home before you get any worse," Uncle Chuck said, and began leading Sonic alongside Sally to the village. Moments later Sonic was stretched out in his bed, buried with various blankets and in a deep sleep. He had calmed down shortly after arriving in his hut, the relapse of his illness disappearing just as soon as it appeared, and claimed that he was well enough to be left alone. Relucent to do so, Sally and Uncle Chuck agreed after more assurance from Sonic.

The tainted water Sonic had swallowed that day and days before continued its deadly course.


	3. Chapter Three

It was morning again. Once again Sonic had slept in.

As soon as Sonic opened his eyes the sickly feeling hit him like a ton of bricks. He wished that he hadn't woken up at all.

Struggling to swallow Sonic pushed himself into a sitting position, regretting the action. Nausea pulsed over him violently, again making it hard to swallow. Sonic's head swam in a distorted sea of colours, and it felt so hot, almost like fire.

Forcing his arm to move Sonic placed his hand against his burning forehead, feeling the heat. Further examination revealed that the fever had spread to his cheeks and close to his neck. But the chills he was experiencing was agonising; even his body was trembling in response to the cold. Then all at once it was hot again.

Sonic pushed the blankets away and drew his knees to his chest, noting how much his joints hurt from the movement. It was official: something terrible was wrong with him.

Just as that thought surfaced in Sonic's fevered mind a tiny knock sounded at his door. But without waiting for a response from the ill hedgehog the door opened, and a second later Tails' head poked in.

"Sonic, it's eleven. The meetin' is gonna be starting soon," Tails informed as he searched around the room for Sonic. His eyes finally found him, and Sonic could see them widen, then take a look of heavy concern.

"Are you okay? You look awful," Tails exclaimed, then padded up to Sonic cautiously. Groaning, Sonic pressed his head against his knees. He felt light-headed now.

"No, I feel really cruddy, bro," he said, not lifting his head. He heard Tails as he shifted from one foot to the other in a nervous rhythm.

"Do you want me to call Aunt Sally, or Doctor Quack?" he questioned anxiously, unable to keep still. Sonic flattened his ears.

"Nah... Don't worry about it bro," he requested flatly, then drew in a deep breath as nausea set in again. Sonic swallowed dryly, struggling not to throw up.

Tails began to make his way to the door hesitantly, all the while keeping his eyes on Sonic. "Okay, Sonic. So will you still be coming to the meeting?" he asked. This time Sonic simply nodded.

"Will you be all right, though?"

Sonic doubted it, but still told Tails as clearly as he could that he would be. The fox kit waited a moment longer before disappearing behind Sonic's door, once again leaving Sonic by himself. The thought of being alone like this made Sonic feel worse. Maybe it would be a good idea to visit the doctor, he thought to himself. But later, perhaps after the meeting if he could still stand.

After about five minutes Sonic slowly pushed himself to the edge of his bed and donned his sneakers, then after a moment of uncertainty stood up. The blood instantly rushed to Sonic's head, making him feel even woozier than before.

Stumbling, Sonic went to his door and walked out, heading to the courtyard. The usual noise of the village was deafening to Sonic's sensitive ears, and the sun's light was almost blinding, adding to the massive headache that throbbed loudly behind his eyes. But still Sonic continued to walk, and with each step the more light-headed he felt, until it got to the point where it seemed the top of his head had gone numb.

Sonic stopped walking and held his head as a hot sensation crawled up along his spine and neck. He lowered his head, holding it in his hands as it felt like it was going to either fall off his neck or explode, and began drawing in deep breathes. Sonic could feel sweat trickling down from his forehead and back, and somehow the light breeze that blew through the village felt ice cold. A shiver pulsed through his body.

Eventually the feeling passed enough for Sonic to notice everything around him return into focus. He still felt light-headed, but at least he could somewhat walk now. Sonic wiped the sweat off his forehead and swallowed, trying to ignore the pain that stabbed through his joints as he made his way to the War Room.

"These are the basic systematics of the construction site. The area being worked on is around fifty to sixty square meters, and it looks like the building itself is going to measure about three or four stories in height," Sally explained to the Freedom Fighters. They were all sitting around a large oak table, which was rough around the edges, and listening intently to what their leader was reporting. Behind Sally was a large shimmering hologram of the construction site she and Sonic had found two days before, alongside its systematics. This Sally kept referring to, which she was doing now in her brief pause.

"The building itself is less than a quarter completed, so now would be a good time to strike the area and disable the construction work, if only to buy ourselves more time so Robotnik will miss his deadline for the Doomsday Project to be completed," she continued eventually, facing the group. "I would like everyone to be on this mission so we have more attack power behind us."

"Including zee 'edge'og, moi Princess?" Antoine spoke up, glaring at the empty seat opposite him. Sally too glanced at the empty seat, more so with concern than anger like the coyote was.

"Where is Sonic? I sent Tails to call him," Sally murmured. At that point the door opened slowly and Sonic walked into the War Room. He pulled out a chair from under the table and sat down heavily, resting his elbows on the table and placing his head in his hands. Everyone at the table was surprised to see how pale and unwell the hedgehog appeared, even Antoine.

"Sugah-hog, what's th' mattah?" Bunnie exclaimed, voicing the others' thoughts. For a moment Sonic didn't reply, but jumped when Sally lightly touched his shoulder. Dazed, he glanced around at the group.

"Sorry, was someone talking to me?" he questioned as he rubbed at his eyes. They were glazed over and seemed distant.

Sally reached over and touched Sonic's cheek. "Sonic, you're burning up. Why aren't you resting?" she demanded, gaping at Sonic with horrified concern. Sonic gave a faint shrug and closed his eyes in obvious exhaustion.

"You told me there was going to be a mission today, so here I am," he explained in a flat, almost dead voice. After he had said that Sonic gave a faint sigh and lowered his head, rubbing at his temples. "Can I have some water, please?"

Passing down the side of the table a quiet murmur, a glass was poured and passed back to the ailing hedgehog. Upon receiving it Sonic drained the glass quickly, as if he hadn't drank for days, and gave a hoarse cough.

"Maybe it would be better if you went home, Sonic," Rotor suggested, the recommendation agreed to by four other voices of concerned friends. Sonic regarded the Freedom Fighters with his enervated eyes, then shook his head.

"You guys are gonna need help. I'm fine, don't worry about it," he insisted. Sally looked back at the others, seeing her concern reflected in their faces. There was no way she could let Sonic go on a mission like this. But the hedgehog was right; they needed Sonic to distract the SWATbots.

"Are you sure you'll be all right if you come, Sonic?" Sally questioned, trying to ignore the shocked expressions of the Freedom Fighters.

"As long as I have water I'll be fine," Sonic stated. He sounded more determined now, and for a moment Sally believed that he was telling the truth.

For a moment.

"Okay, but go rest for now. We'll call you about half an hour before it's time to go so you'll be able to get ready, and I'll brief you then," Sally offered. Sonic nodded and stood, trying not to sway.

"Cool, but you better call me. Or else I'll come after the lot of ya," he commented, grinning slightly. With that said he turned and made his way out of the War Room, hoping that he didn't look too weak as he did so.

"Sally-girl, are y'all crazah?" Bunnie exclaimed once Sonic was out of earshot. "Couldn't ya see how sick Sugah-hog was?"

Sally sighed and slumped forward in her chair, pressing her forehead into her hands. "I could. But I also trust Sonic's judgement," she explained.

"But how can you be sure he will be all right? If something does go wrong--" Rotor's voice trailed off when he saw that Sally was glaring at him.

"Nothing will go wrong. If Sonic's says he'll be all right then I trust him. And for this mission we need his help, or else we won't be able to get another shot at this."

About half an hour later, when all the Freedom Fighters except Sally had left the War Room to get ready for that night's mission, Sally sat staring at the tabletop, wondering if she was making the right choice.

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Sonic kept watch from his designated area, a set of binoculars beside him alongside his comm. link-up, the channel open and ready for Sally's signal. For once in his life he wished he wasn't here on this mission, but back home doing nothing.

Another twang of pain throbbed through the hedgehog's head, shooting behind his eyes and distorting his vision. Gritting his teeth Sonic massaged at his temples, wishing that he had brought along some aspirin. But then he remembered that he took about four before leaving Knothole, fresh from a new packet he had bought that morning after Sally had sent him home to rest. Melancholically Sonic thought back to his rubbish bin in his hut, full of empty aspirin boxes.

With a sigh Sonic unslung his backpack and pulled out a tall clear bottle, unscrewed the lid and went to take a drink. In mid-motion he spotted just how much was left in the bottle; about less than a third left. Had he drank all that already? The bottle held about three litres.

Nevertheless Sonic took a long gulp from the contents, trying not to think about how out-of-control his thirst was all of a sudden. It was a good thing he had brought along two bottles, even though they did a number on his already aching shoulders.

"Sonic, are you there?" Sally's voice questioned through his comm. link-up. Sonic swallowed his mouthful of water, almost gagging on it, and picked up his comm.

"I'm here," he answered, clearing his throat carefully. The hastened drink made him feel nauseous again.

"We're in position here, there's a small group of SWATbots west of your position. Try to lead them to the south about three miles, that should cause more of a distraction to the other patrolling SWATbots in the area. Think you can handle that?" Sally questioned.

"'course I can, Sal. No problemo," Sonic replied, trying to sound more confident than he felt. There was a delayed pause from Sally.

"Okay, good luck, Sonic. And be extra careful," she said eventually, before signing off.

Sonic clipped the comm. link to the side of his backpack, took a quick swig from his water, then made his way to where Sally had instructed him to go.

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Sally clicked off her comm. link and slipped it into her backpack, sighing quietly to herself. Sonic had insisted on being by himself for this mission, just so he wasn't slowed down by anyone as he did his part of the strategy. Sally had reluctantly agreed, but now she was starting to have doubts.

"Ready to go, Sally?" Rotor questioned from behind the ground squirrel. Sally gazed up at the walrus and nodded slightly.

"Let's get going then," she said with false determination. Rotor placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Sonic will be fine. You know him, you could knock him with a bus and he'll keep walking without missing a beat," he assured, grinning slightly. Sally couldn't help but smirk.

"I know. Now let's get going."

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It could possibly have been the first time Sally would wish she had been right about something.

Sonic had made it to his designated area without incident, and began work on luring what SWATbot squadron that was gathered in the area. Not feeling up to taunting the robots Sonic simply stood in front of the group, swooped down and grabbed a nearby rock, and hurled it with as much strength as he could muster at one of the SWATbots. In his ill state Sonic had missed the SWATbot he was aiming at by at least half a metre, but still irritated by the attempted assault the SWATbots gave chase, laser guns at the ready.

Sonic took off without thinking about where he was going. But after about a minute or so of running the hedgehog began to feel the burdensome effects of the task he was demanding of his body. Sonic began panting slightly as sweat beaded over his forehead and back, soaking at his fine fur. His breath felt hot in his throat as his eyes watered, and all his muscles began screaming for him to stop. Throughout the mental battle Sonic just barely acknowledged the SWATbots firing at him.

Soon Sonic was at the south-end of Robotropolis, where Sally had told him to take the SWATbots to. He reached back to grab his comm. link, only to miss a stray laser. The laser hit his backpack, about half a millimetre away from him comm. link. But Sonic had thought that the shot rang true, so he left the comm. link in its place and feeling panic rising within him. When he looked back at the group of SWATbots Sonic realised with shock that more SWATbots had started chasing him with the original group.

"Aw, crap," he exclaimed, and began to pick up speed. This proved to be a mistake as sharp hot pain began stabbing its way through Sonic's body. He bit his lip to stop himself from crying out and slowed down a notch, unaware that he was swivelling violently from side to side as he ran. The extra steps he had to take from doing this caused the SWATbots to catch up with the hedgehog.

As the SWATbots drew closer Sonic felt his strength fading fast, like someone had weighed him down with lead bricks. He shot a glance over his shoulder, his heart picking up more pace than his steps when he realised that the SWATbots were only about three metres away from him. Sonic gritted his teeth and flattened his ears, forcing himself to keep running despite his body's painful protests. Eventually he made some distance between himself and the approaching robots, then had managed to lose them. But he kept on running, just in case.

He soon felt himself slowing down until he could barely take another step. Sonic let out a loud gasp of relief and fell to his knees, trying to catch his breath. His chest felt like someone had shoved a vice around his lungs and tightened it; it was difficult to breathe properly. It didn't help that his throat felt like a desert, or that his heart was hammering against his ribs. He reached for his backpack, with the intention of grabbing his second drink bottle.

Then all at once he felt hot. Sonic sat up straight and held his head, swaying as a flash of nausea washed over him. Another wave came, and for a moment Sonic lost feeling in his body. Everything went numb, and blackness began taking over his vision as it blurred. This was what happened before, but this time it seemed much worse.

Finally Sonic's body shuddered with exhaustion, both from the run and fighting off the illness, and he released a tense sigh. Sonic was unconscious before he impacted with the cold ground. The SWATbots that were chasing him rounded the corner just as the hedgehog hit the ground.

"Good work everyone. Head back to the meeting place now, we're done on our side," Sally's voice congratulated over Sonic's communication link-up. The channel was still open, either ignored or unheard by the SWATbots as one picked up Sonic by the scruff of his neck.

Elsewhere Bunnie had flicked off her own comm. link after hearing Sally's praise, smiling to herself. "Guess Ah gotta hand it ta Sally-girl. She knows wha' she's doin'," she commented to herself as she began making her way down the street. "An' Sugah-hog was right as well, Ah bettah apologise ta 'em when we meet up."

When she made it to a large intersection near the south of Robotropolis Bunnie saw a pair of SWATbots standing there. Bunnie was able to duck behind a dumpster before she was spotted, but after about a minute of so she realised that the SWATbots were not coming towards her at all.

The cyborg rabbit peered around the dumpster, noticing that the SWATbots had not even more from their spot she had seen them in. But she was able to see that one of the SWATbots was carrying something in its metal fist. Bunnie squinted, then felt her heart skip a beat.

"Sugah-hog," she cried, and ran over to the SWATbots. Without giving the metal beings a chance to react to her sudden appearance, Bunnie launched herself into the air and slammed her robotic feet into the chest of the first SWATbot, felling it instantly. The second SWATbot she slammed her fist into its leg, crippling it and causing it to fall as well. When it fell the SWATbot released Sonic from its grip, and Sonic landed roughly on the ground, still unconscious.

Not wanting to cause any further confrontation, Bunnie ran over to the hedgehog and tossed his limp body over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes, then made a run for it. Luckily her surprise attack had caused enough damage to the robots so that they couldn't follow, so Bunnie was able to find a safe place to hide so she could tend to Sonic.

"Sonic, Sonic, wake up already," Bunnie began calling once she had found a place. She had checked Sonic's body for any blows to the head or any laser wounds, but in the end she had discovered to her horror that the hedgehog was burning up, and even in his unconscious state was having difficulty breathing.

Finally, after about five minutes Bunnie grabbed her comm. link and activated it. "Sally-girl, are y'all there?" she questioned, voice trembling as much as her hand was.

"I'm here, Bunnie. Is everything all right?" Sally's voice responded almost instantly. Bunnie took a breath before speaking again.

"Ah'm fine, but... it's Sonic."

There was a pause, then: "Where are you, we'll be right there."

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He was floating so effortlessly, it was bliss.

The surroundings weren't, as they were nothing more than a solid black. But that didn't seem to bewilder the hedgehog and he continued to float on his back in the endless sea. There was no pain here, no sound, no feeling. The ultimate escape from his illness.

Sonic didn't want to leave.

As he laid his head back and allowed himself to stray, Sonic was suddenly aware of an awful, horrible smell that was so close to his nose it was suffocating. He snorted sharply and flared his arms out in an attempt to be rid of the smell, but then an overwhelming sensation of pain consumed his body, and a second later the blackness surrounding him began to dissolve.

A painful ringing was apparent in his ears as he came to finally, somehow managing to break through the darkness. Feeling began to return to Sonic's body, bringing the sensation of total weakness. Then all at once another feeling came over him.

"Look out," a voice warned, and a second later Sonic was hunched over, vomiting into a well-placed bucket nearby. The ordeal lasted for an eternity for Sonic, but in reality it was only about a minute, and when it was finally over all that was left was a burning numbness in his throat and mouth. As dizziness pulsed through him Sonic laid perfectly still, coughing dryly and wishing that someone would put him out of his misery and shoot him.

"It's about time you came to, Sonic. We were starting to get worried," the same voice from earlier said, coming from somewhere to Sonic's left, yet sounding so far away. The ringing in his ears began to die down a little.

Sonic tilted his head towards the voice as he wiped at his mouth, noting that his vision was slowly starting to return. Yet for some reason he couldn't bring himself to speak. He went to sit up, but once again a heavy wave of nausea washed over him and he was forced to lie down once more.

"Do you know where you are?" the voice questioned sternly. Sonic slowly rocked his head from side to side, watching the darkness dissolve to nothing. Finally Sonic realised that the voice that was addressing him was coming from a short yellow duck wearing a doctor's uniform.

"Doctor Quack?" Sonic mumbled feebly, swallowing dryly in an attempt to not throw up again. When he swallowed his throat burned.

"Yes, it's me. But that's not what I was asking you, Sonic. Do you know where you are?" Doctor Quack commented, cocking his head behind himself to refer to their surroundings. Sonic looked again, taking in the sterilised structure and medical supplies that consumed most of the shelves' space. The hedgehog looked down to himself, seeing that he was lying in a bed covered in perfectly white sheets, so white they where almost blinding, especially to his sensitive eyes.

"Your medical hut?" Sonic finally answered, bring a hand to his head. He could feel the heat of his fever right though his glove, meaning that it had increased over time.

"Close, very close. More like the General Practice at the village hospital. Whatever is wrong with you needed more medical attention than I could offer in my centre alone," Doctor Quack clarified as he reached over to an odd looking device that sat on the side-table. After pressing a tiny button on the device's side Doctor Quack gently inserted into Sonic's ear, eyes fixated onto a small screen at the device's cradle.

"What are you doing, doc?" Sonic yelped, pulling away. The duck scowled and pressed the button again, then reinserted the instrument into Sonic's ear.

"I'm just taking your temperature, now hold still," he informed, to which Sonic obeyed.

"How did I get here?" Sonic questioned eventually. Doctor Quack shot a quick glance at the hedgehog before returning it to the tiny screen. "The Freedom Fighters brought you here after you had fainted half an hour ago," he replied, then pulled out the device from Sonic's ear. "Your temperature is very high, I'm surprised you're still functioning, to be honest."

"Fainted? I fainted?" Sonic exclaimed in disbelief. Now he was scared. And now Sally was going to kill him for letting whatever the heck was wrong with him to get this far. He lay back into the pile of pillows, feeling very fatigued. At least his stomach was starting to settle somewhat.

"Yes, I believe that is what I said. And all your friends are waiting anxiously outside as we speak," Doctor Quack said. Sonic cast a weary glance at the closed door, as if he was able to see his friends through it.

"Well, it was a good thing you threw up. I needed something for examination, though I would have preferred a blood sample," Doctor Quack commented as he pushed the bucket to the side with his foot. From where Sonic was he could still smell the sick, which stimulated a sea-sickly feeling in his stomach again.

"So how long have you've been sick for, then?" Doctor Quack questioned eventually.

"For about three days, I guess," Sonic replied shortly. Suddenly he wasn't in the mood to talk. He just wanted to sleep away his dizziness.

"Can you tell me your symptoms?"

Sonic thought about it for a moment. In the end he realised that there were a few. "Headaches, mainly. Dizzy, some aches in my shoulders. Feel really nauseous throughout the day, I haven't eaten for a while."

"How long is a while?" Doctor Quack interrupted.

"Three days." Doctor Quack nodded. "Anything else?"

"This fever, I had that since last night. And I fall asleep a lot without realising it," Sonic added.

"No chills?"

Sonic shook his head. "Had a few of those."

"Have you've vomited at all before now?"

"Do we really have to be reminded about that?" Sonic snapped, then quickly checked his temper. "No, I haven't. Like I said, I've only felt nauseous for most of the time."

Doctor Quack hummed in acknowledgement as he pressed his fingertips against the sides of Sonic's throat, digging them in slightly. "Sounds like the Flu to me, but it shouldn't be this bad," he commented, then picked up the bucket that contained Sonic's sick.

"What are going to do with that?" Sonic asked.

"Need some form of sample from you, so I'm sending this down to Pathology. I'll be right back," the duck responded.

Sally watched as Doctor Quack walked out of the examining room, the rim of the bucket gripped firmly in his hand. She was about to call out to him when she saw the doctor call over a nurse and handed her the bucket. They exchanged a few words between themselves, the nurse looking a touch disgusted, before the nurse departed down the corridor.

"Wha' do y'all think is goin' on, Sally-girl?" Bunnie questioned. She was sitting with Sally in the corridor outside the examining room, giving moral support to the anxious Princess. The others were sent to their homes, with the assurance that they would be informed about the hedgehog's condition as soon as they found out about it. Sally felt that it wouldn't be a good idea for all of them to be flooding the corridor and disturbing both Sonic and Doctor Quack.

"I don't know," Sally answered idly, still keeping her eyes on the yellow duck. He was now walking down a corridor away from the two Mobians, following the nurse. Sally sat back onto her chair and leaned back, releasing a heavy sigh.

"What on Mobius could be wrong with Sonic? He's never been this sick before," she queried with concern. Bunnie simply shook her head.

"Ah wouldn't have a clue, but it shure is a lot worse th'n th' Flu by th' look of things. Doctor Quack will figure it out fer Sugah-hog," she assured, then peered through the panel-glass window of the door and lamented quietly. "Poor guy, he must be feelin' horrible right about now."

Sally stood and too peered through the panel-glass. Sonic was now curled up in a tight ball on the examining bed, but because his back was turned to them they couldn't see his face, let alone any expression to confirm his feelings. Sally's heart went out to the ailing hedgehog.

"Poor guy," she repeated quietly.

It was an hour later when Doctor Quack returned, a single printout held in his hand and a bewildered expression on his face. By now almost over the edge with anxiety, both Sally and Bunnie approached the duck.

"Well?" Sally said first. Doctor Quack ran his fingers through his forelock of feathers and sighed.

"Well, there seems to be some sort of chemical in Sonic's system, but I couldn't begin to tell you what type. Even the computers couldn't identify it without solid accuracy. But it does explain why Sonic is this sick," he reported.

"But he's gonna be all right, right?" Bunnie asked.

"He should be, but I don't think it would be a good idea if Sonic fell asleep again, though," the doctor stated, which confused both Sally and Bunnie.

"Why would you say that?" Sally asked.

"Well, from what Sonic has been telling me, it seems that the more he sleeps the worse he becomes. I think that it is because the chemical has the chance to settle in his bloodstream while he's sleeping, then by the time he wakes up the chemical has already done its damage. Plus because of Sonic's recent mutation his DNA is still able to absorb some genetic information, including any chemicals that have entered his system," Doctor Quack explained seriously.

"And that means that the chemical is now permanently in his DNA?" Sally added, to which Doctor Quack nodded.

"Can this chemical kill Sonic?" Sally was surprised that she could bring herself to ask that question.

"Yes, it can." Sally was dreading that answer, and it seemed so was Bunnie. The rabbit's eyes were wide with fear and shock; she looked like she was going to cry. Sally had to admit, she felt like doing so as well.

"But we can stop that from happening, although there is no way we can get rid of the new information," Doctor Quack informed. "I'll run a few more tests, then I think I can conjure a sort of counter-agent to combat the chemical, just enough so that it's not fatal to Sonic."

"And how long does Sugah-hog hafta stay awake fer, Doc?" Bunnie asked. Doctor Quack referred to his watch, gaining a curious glance from the cyborg rabbit. "I'd say twenty-four hours should be enough. It'll give me more time to perfect the counter-agent and to see the effects of it in full. Plus it should give Sonic enough time to get over the symptoms of this Sleeping Sickness," he concluded.

"Sleeping Sickness--" Sally repeated. That actually described the illness fairly well.

Doctor Quack opened the door to the Examination Room and allowed Sally and Bunnie to enter. "I'll explain everything to Sonic, but I think it'll be a good idea if you both were in the room while I did." Both Bunnie and Sally agreed.

Sonic was still curled up when Sally approached him. Hoping that he hadn't fallen asleep already, Sally lightly touched the hedgehog's shoulder. "Sonic, are you awake?" she called quietly. Movement confirmed Sonic's acknowledgment, and a few seconds later he lifted his head to look at Sally.

"Don't yell at me, my head hurts too much," he warned off-handily, before pushing himself into a sort of sitting position. Sally couldn't help but smirk at the hedgehog's dry humour. "I didn't come here to yell at you, I'm going to do that later," she informed, crossing her arms, "But Doctor Quack has something very important to tell you."

"Oh?" Sonic mused, gazing at the doctor. In a few minutes Doctor Quack had explained everything he had told Sally and Bunnie beforehand, stressing the fact as to how fatal the chemical could become if he fell asleep again. Sonic listened wordlessly, the expression on his face unreadable. After Doctor Quack had finished speaking it was a good five minutes before Sonic spoke.

"So how the heck am I suppose to stay awake for so long? I can barely keep my eyes open now."

"Maybe we could all take shifts, and get the other Freedom Fighters to help out as well," Sally suggested.

"No," Sonic exclaimed, startling all three Mobians. There was a brief pause before the hedgehog continued. "I don't want the others to be involved in this, it'll be too much for them."

"And I suppose letting them sit at home worrying is going to help them?" Doctor Quack retorted, glaring at Sonic sternly. Sonic responded by growling menacingly at the yellow duck, his ears flattening against his skull to emphasis his annoyance.

"At least don't involve the others," he said.

At this point Bunnie joined the verbal battle. "Sugah-hog, Ah'm shure th' others would be more th'n happy to give a helpin' hand. Y'all know that we'll help out anyway we could," she reasoned gently, not wanting to frustrate Sonic any further.

"I know, but I don't want them to," Sonic argued.

Doctor Quack sighed and lifted his gaze to the ceiling. "With the others helping there is less chance of you falling asleep and you dying," he said. Instead of retorting Sonic simply glared darkly at the doctor, slit pupils dilating not just with illness but also with inner anger. The duck held the hedgehog's glare, gradually tearing his eyes away from it and suppressing a shudder. The glare was frightening to him.

"So what do we'all do then?" Bunnie questioned, looking at Sally. Throughout the whole verbal battle the ground squirrel hadn't said a word, let alone made any moves to stop the quarrelling Mobians.

"I'll stay here with you, Sonic," Sally answered quietly. The glare disappeared immediately from Sonic's eyes as he turned to stare at Sally.

"Sal, you can't. You have important things to do, what with Doomsday coming up. I'll just waste your time," he insisted after an interval.

"Sonic, this is important. You are important, both to this war and to everyone in this village. Without you no matter what is planned Doomsday will be successful for Robotnik. And there is no way I going to let you die like this. Besides, I can't do anything more on the Doomsday mission until Uncle Chuck sends more information about its production. Plus we were able to disable the construction today with the mission, so it will be a while before Robotnik can do any more," Sally pressed as she sat onto the bed. Like Sonic she too could be stubborn, but in a more civil sense.

Sonic smiled faintly at Sally. "Fine, you can stay, Sal. It's not like I can kick you out of here without being killed by everyone else," he finalised. Bunnie patted Sally on the shoulder.

"Good work, Sally-girl," she congratulated. "And Ah'll come in half way through 'he night to trade places with ya. Is that all right with you, Sugah-hog?"

"Sure, that's sounds like a better idea," Sonic agreed, nodding.

"So it's settled then?" Doctor Quack spoke up. When they all nodded the duck smiled. "Excellent. I'll arrange for a private room so that you won't be disturbed by any of the other patients, Sonic."

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Maybe this wasn't going to be as easy as she thought it would be.

Only two hours had past since Sonic's diagnosis of chemical poisoning and already Sally could see that Sonic was showing signs of relapse. At the moment the hedgehog was lying on his side slightly curled up, trying to get over the shock from collapsing. Both had been quiet for most of the two hours; Sally out of respect, Sonic because he didn't really have the strength to speak just yet.

"I can't believe this is happening," Sonic finally muttered, startling Sally out of a trance she wasn't even aware of being in. Slowly Sonic pushed himself into a sitting position, flopping back into the pillows behind him and drawing his knees to his chest. He gazed at Sally miserably.

"At least you're looking better. Some colour has come back in your face," Sally commented, which was true; Sonic didn't appear as sickly as he did before.

Sonic gave a sort of snorted laugh and laid his chin on his knees. "Yeah? Well, I still feel lousy as heck," he said, then stiffly stretched his back and arms. When he tensed his hands his sharp black claws unsheathed, sending a slight chill down Sally's spine. She didn't want to admit it to Sonic but the transformation's results scared her. The claws didn't bother Sally as much as the wild, almost insane look Sonic seemed to had acquired in his eyes. She knew the look wasn't Sonic's own but the wild animal's that now shared his body.

"Maybe this will teach you to ask for help when you really need it, Sonic," Sally pointed out as she tore her eyes away from Sonic's clawed fingertips. Sonic frowned and lowered his head, ears drooping shamefully.

"Yes, Ma'am," he murmured flatly, but there was a mischievous grin plastered across his face. It always occurred to Sally that Sonic had a somewhat twisted sense of humour when the situation called for it.

Sally shook her head. "Such a child," she remarked, to which Sonic simply shrugged.

"I try."

It was a heartbeat later when Sonic questioned: "It creeps you out, doesn't it?"

Sally gaped at Sonic, not fully understanding what he meant. "What do you mean?" she asked, voicing her thoughts. Sonic lifted his hand so the back of it was facing Sally, then tensed his fingers. Instantly his claws unsheathed.

"This, it creeps you out," he clarified. Sally felt her body tense up as yet another chill ran down her spine, but managed to refrain from shuddering. At least she thought she had done so until Sonic gave her a sort of cockeyed expression.

Sonic sighed and retracted his claws, and began to wring his hands into each other fidgety. "Yeah, I know what you mean. I get goose-bumps whenever I look in the mirror," he agreed glumly, looking away. There was a sudden sad look in the hedgehog's golden eyes that made Sally feel terrible, so she lightly placed her hands on top of Sonic's ever moving ones, ceasing their activity. It was only then that Sonic looked back at Sally.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be so insensitive," Sally apologised, giving Sonic's hands a slight squeeze. At first it seemed to Sally that Sonic appeared surprised by what she had said, but that didn't seem to last long for Sonic as he smiled faintly.

"Nah, it's cool, Sal. I mean, I know the changes are freaky lookin', but it really doesn't bother me," he reassured. His smile broadened, shadowing his usual jaunt grin, almost like it was for more reassurance. Finally Sally found herself smiling.

"So I guess this means you're not as vain as some Mobians say you are then?" she commented.

"Me? Vain?" Sonic exclaimed, pressing the palm of his hand to his chest and cocking up his eyebrows. "No, not me, never." He then began running his fingers through his quills while looking at the faint reflection in the panel window of the door. Sally shook her head again.

"I spoke too soon, I see."

"Nah, it'll take a miracle to get me back to my handsome self again after all this," Sonic commented. Once again Sally shook her head, making Sonic realise his slip-up.

"I was kidding, really I was."

"Were you? Are you sure about that now?" Sally questioned. She looked over Sonic carefully, suddenly realising just how much over the passed two weeks the mutation had taken effect on the hedgehog. He seemed taller, for one thing, and his body had started taking on the shape of a miniature Overlander, if there was such a thing. Even his quills and tail were longer in length, and his ears seemed wider and longer, with the slightest tufts of fur at their ends. Sonic's eyes looked smaller in a way, but with the slight slant he always had in his eyes emphasised. The only way his eyes appeared cat-like was by their colour and their slit pupils. Whenever Sonic blinked they would widen and narrow quickly, instantly adjusting to the change in light.

"What is it like being a--?" Sally began, then realised that she didn't know just how to address Sonic correctly.

"Mutant? Freak? Sal, you can say it, it doesn't bug me," Sonic assured, looking up at her.

"Well, I wasn't sure if it did bother you. I don't want to offend you, Sonic," Sally pressed, somewhat scowling.

Sonic couldn't help but snicker at her. "I don't get offended that easily, Sal. Besides, you're a friend and when you call me something you don't really mean it," Sonic told her. "At least I'm hoping you don't."

"So what is it like?" Sally asked, shifting her position so that she was more comfortable. Sonic just shrugged, then began pawing at his eyes and stifling a yawn.

"Dunno, really. It felt weird for a while, 'cause everything was so different."

"Different? How so?" Sally questioned. Again Sonic shrugged.

"Well, I can see a lot better than I use to, even though my sight was already good," he explained. "And besides right now I'm actually a lot stronger too, which is pretty cool."

"What else has changed?" Sally asked curiously.

"I always get sudden urges to chase birds and balls of yarn," Sonic mused, scratching the back of his neck as he looked around the room idly.

"Yeah right, Sonic," Sally exclaimed.

"You don't believe me, eh? You'd think I'd be able to resist all that because I'm part Overlander too." Sonic paused, suddenly taking on a thoughtful stance. "But... why was I mixed with Overlander DNA?" he asked eventually. Sally stared at Sonic blankly, wondering about that question herself.

"Well, Robotnik did have intentions of you being on his side once the mutation did complete itself. There could be a chance that he wanted you to be more Overlander-like," she said.

"But why?" Sonic exasperated. "I thought he hated the Overlanders just as much as any Fur." Sally simply shook her head and shrugged.

"I really wish I knew, Sonic. Mixing you with a large feline I understand, but the Overlander factor has me stumped just as much as you are."

Sonic sighed and lowered his head, gnawing at his bottom lip. "But then, to do the gene-splicing experiment on me. What was Robuttnik thinking, honestly?" he muttered quietly. Sally watched Sonic for what felt like ages, feeling her heart sink lower and lower with each second.

"This whole metamorphosis thing is really upsetting you, isn't it?" she ventured quietly.

When Sonic began fidgeting with his hands again she knew her assumption was right.

"What to talk about it?"

Sonic stayed silent still, not moving his eyes away from his hands. "It's just... I feel like I'm not myself any more. Like I've been violated of my whole persona." He lifted his head and swallowed dryly, gathering his thoughts. Sally waited patiently, noticing how sad Sonic was now. Every part of him expressed it.

"And now I don't know what's going to happen to me in the future because of the mutation. Like how I'll look or act, or what would effect me now. It's just too overwhelming now and I hate worrying about it."

After he had said all that Sonic covered his face with his hands, resting his elbows on his knees and falling silent. He didn't notice Sally as she carefully slid herself next to him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, softly rubbing his back.

"It'll be okay, Sonic," Sally murmured quietly, pressing her cheek against his and tightening her grip. "Uncle Chuck and I are doing everything we can to find out more about gene-splicing so we can help you get through this. Perhaps, if we do find enough information about it, we can find a cure for you as well."

Sonic uncovered his face and dropped his hands to his lap. "A cure?" he questioned. "Would that even be possible?"

"You never know. But this is a new thing for us, so I can't promise you that a cure is definite for the future," Sally sighed.

"How long have you 'nd Uncle Chuck been researching?"

"Almost immediately after we had found out what had happened to you. I had even asked Uncle Chuck to put you through some tests to see exactly how the mutation effected you."

Sonic gaped at the ground squirrel. "You asked Uncle Chuck to do the tests? But I thought--"

"That I didn't know about them?" Sally filled in, smirking slighting. "Doctor Quack actually suggested it, but we needed to take a more scientific approach rather than medical, so I put Uncle Chuck in charge of the task."

Sally pulled away from Sonic and took her place in front of him again, then began thinking about what Sonic had told her now. She never realised how much the mutation was really hurting the hedgehog, and she felt bad for not knowing about it. They were friends, best friends since childhood, and Sally felt that she knew exactly how Sonic worked. But now she realised just how much she didn't know about him, and how close she wanted to be to Sonic.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Both were silent for a long time, lost in their own thoughts.

But the silence did not help with Sonic's condition, as the silent minutes ticked by the overwhelming urge of sleep consumed him, until finally it became to exhausting that he needed to lie down at least.

The change in angle made his eyelids feel heavy, and the more he fought against it the more his eyes began to hurt. When a slight headache began to develop behind his eyes Sonic gave in and closed his eyes, feeling relief almost immediately. Hs whole body relaxed, and all the pain he felt in his joints melted away into a blissful haze. For a brief moment Sonic wondered what Sally had been thinking about in her silence, and recalled the faint look of worry she had on her face the whole time.

"Sonic. Sonic. Wake up, you can't fall asleep now." Sally's voice played around in Sonic's drowsy mind, before it clicked that he had drifted off to sleep.

"I'm up, I'm up..." Sonic sighed, forcing his eyes open and lifting his head. He squinted against the brightness of the room's white walls, before he felt Sally's arm slip under his and around his torso. He felt so drained; he couldn't even sit up straight.

"Come on, sit up for a bit," Sally suggested as she steadied the weary hedgehog. She cupped her hands about Sonic's face and made him face her directly; trying to ignore how limp he appeared. "Do you feel all right?"

At first Sonic didn't register the question, but when he finally did realise what Sally had said he nodded. The sleepiness seemed to disappear, and Sonic became aware of his surroundings again. It felt odd as to how it seemed to appear and disappear so quickly. Sonic shook his head and pawed at his eyes.

"Oh man, that happened way too quick," he exclaimed as he rubbed at his eyes and face. He leaned back on his hand and held his head with his free hand, staring wide-eyed at Sally.

Sally sighed and nodded in agreement. "I know, I didn't even realise you had drifted off either," she admitted.

"I have to admit, I felt like doing that a few times already," Sonic sighed. "What a pain in the tail."

When Sonic looked up at Sally and saw that she had been watching him for who knew how long.

"Something bothering you, Sal?" Sonic asked.

Sally snapped out of her trance and felt her cheeks grow hot with embarrassment under her fur. She shook her head quickly. "No, nothing. Why?" she said, pressing a hand to her cheek to cool it.

"I don't know. You seem worried about something before, and you were staring at me for a bit. I know I'm handsome and all but please," Sonic teased, making Sally smile slightly.

"Well, I'm worried about you, Sonic," Sally fumbled, looking away from Sonic.

"I didn't mean to make you feel bad, Sal. I guess I had a little more than I thought I did to get off my chest," Sonic said. "But I can tell something else is bothering you." Sally's cheeks began burning again.

"Well I... How do you feel now, Sonic?" Sally asked, changing the subject. Sonic shrugged.

"I feel okay I guess," he said simply. Sally wasn't convinced. Sonic appeared sicker now after his first relapse. In fact, ever since he talked about how the mutation was really affecting him he seemed to be sicklier looking.

"Are you sure, you'd tell me if you weren't, right?" Sally said.

"Sal, I'm fine," Sonic repeated tightly.

"That's what you said last time, and now--" Sally felt her voice die in he throat when she saw Sonic glaring at her. His ears were folded back against his skull and his slit pupils were dilated. Sally could also see a sliver of one of Sonic's sharper teeth through his lips.

"That's one of your worse problems, Sally. You nag me too much," Sonic proclaimed. "I know how to take care of myself, it's not my fault this has happened to me. I didn't ask to get this sick."

Sally gaped at him, a look of hurt in her eyes. She admitted what he said was true, but to be told such a thing can be hurtful to oneself. The intense glare she was receiving for him was also very intimidating.

"Sonic, I nag you because I care," Sally told him, voice small and meek. Sonic's glare instantly melted into a look of surprise, all evidence of his anger gone.

"You... care?" he questioned after an interval.

"Of course, Sonic. You are very important, to all of us. If something happened to you I... we wouldn't know what we'd do without you," Sally explained, moving closer to Sonic.

Sonic hung his head shamefully and began to fidget with the cuff of his glove. "I... I had no idea..." he whispered. "I'm such a bonehead sometimes. I'm sorry I said that to you, Sally."

Sally sighed, but eventually smirked. "Come here you big goof," she said, hugging the hedgehog warmly. "You were only being honest, and that's what I admire about you."

Sonic sat frozen for a moment, not knowing what to do, then awkwardly hugged Sally back. There was a small grin on his face when he did this. "Really?" he questioned.

"Yes, you always seem to speak your mind," Sally said, patting his back. "Even though no one asked for it."

Sonic laughed and pulled away from Sally's embrace. "Yeah, well you know me. I don't know when to shut up, even after being yelled at a thousand times."

"Don't I know it?" Sally commented, rolling her eyes but smiling.

Just then there was a tiny knock at the door, then the door opened and a head poked in. For a moment Sonic thought that it was Bunnie, but remembered that she was going to come by a lot later into the day.

The rest of the body, revealing that the visitor was a short grey and white female lynx, followed the head shortly. Under her arm was a single clipboard, which she pulled out and flipped open.

"Hello, I'm Doctor Quack's assistant nurse from the clinic," she began, focussing her bright green eyes onto Sonic and Sally. "He sent me down to check up on Mr. Hedgehog and yourself, Princess Sally."

"Oh, right," Sally responded, surprised. The nurse nodded and walked over to the bed, dropping the clipboard onto the side table.

"Now, I have to take your temperature and a blood sample for comparison to the first sample," the nurse explained, referring to the notes in the clipboard as she pulled out a drawer in the side table. From the drawer she fished out a device similar to what Doctor Quack had used earlier. This she activated.

"Whoa, whoa. Doctor Quack said nothing about getting any blood outta me, or another check-up," Sonic snapped to the nurse, flattening his ears in obvious annoyance. The lynx regarded Sonic coolly, not flinching the least at Sonic's threatening expression.

"I'm only following the doctor's orders. You're more than welcome to yell at him when you're well," she said. She then held up the device's arm towards Sonic. "Now, let me take your temperature."

Sonic sighed with frustration and rolled his eyes, and then dipped his head low enough for the nurse to reach his ear. Upon inserting the device's tip into Sonic's ear it began to beep slowly, picking up rhythm as the seconds ticked by.

"So have you've tried eating anything yet, Mr. Hedgehog?" the nurse questioned when the device finished measuring Sonic's temperature. Sonic rubbed at his ear and shook his head.

"No, still feel nauseous a bit," he answered, giving Sally a quick glance from the corner of his eye. Sally didn't give any signs of reaction; she was looking at what the nurse was now doing. Sonic followed her eyes and saw the nurse as she began to pull out a packaged syringe. The fur at the back of Sonic's neck bristled with a chilling sensation: he hated needles with a passion.

"Now hold still, and it'll be over in no time," the nurse said as she grabbed Sonic's arm and parted the fine fur. Sonic looked away and gritted his teeth. In his ill state his body seemed more sensitive, as he could feel everything from the fine needle piercing into his skin, to the needle leaving the usual stinging sensation behind after being taken out. Only to Sonic it felt one hundred times worse.

"Thank you for cooperating, Mr. Hedgehog. The doctor shouldn't need any more samples from you now," the nurse commented. She slipped the small tube into a plastic bag and sealed it, then placed it into the pocket of her lab coat. "Would either of you like me to call one of the nurses and have them bring something to eat?" the lynx questioned.

"No thanks," Sonic answered bluntly, as he flexed his arm.

"Princess?"

"No thank you, I'm fine," Sally assured. The nurse nodded.

"Well, Sonic's fever is still fairly high, so it would be a good idea to keep him drinking fluids. There should be some water in the ice-box here." The nurse paused to bend over and open what Sally and Sonic thought was a small cupboard, then moved away to show the two its contents. Like she had said, there was only a large jug of chilled water.

"And if you need anything at all, don't hesitate to use the call button there," the nurse continued, and cocked her head towards the wall where a small red button was. She turned and left the room once she had collected Sonic's blood sample and clipboard, closing the door behind her and leaving the two Mobians alone once again.

"Well, that was a pleasant visit," Sonic muttered sarcastically, rubbing his forehead gingerly as he lay back into the pillows.

"You okay?" Sally asked. Sonic rolled over to his side and nodded, allowing his arms to flop over the side of the bed limply.

"Just kinda light-headed, and a bit tired," he explained, stifling a yawn. Sally smirked and placed her elbows on her knees, resting her head in her hands.

"Eating something would help a bit," she commented.

"So would sleep, but I can't do that either, can I?" Sonic retorted, propping himself onto the pillows so that he could see Sally. "Man my head's killing me again." Sonic grimaced and massaged his forehead. The same drowsy feeling from before began creeping through him again, making Sonic's light-headedness worse. He groaned and curled up slightly, trying to fight off the tiredness.

"Maybe you shouldn't lie down any more," Sally suggested.

"Maybe..." Sonic murmured, allowing his eyes to close halfway. "If only I could sleep just for five minutes. Five minutes and I'd be fine. Maybe I'd be able to eat something after too or something or other." Sonic realised he was rambling, and felt like an idiot. "Can't even think straight!"

Sally's smirk widened slightly. "You know what I've noticed since the mutation, Sonic?" she questioned off-handily. When Sonic shook his head she continued. "You eat a lot more meat than you use to. You actually eat a lot more than you use to, in general."

Sonic gave Sally a sort of confused look, then sat up fully. "Do I?" he asked. Sally just nodded, and Sonic rubbed at the back of his neck. "Never noticed that. You think I do 'cause now I'm part cat or something?"

"It could be. Felines are the only true carnivores on Mobius, so they need more protein than other animals," Sally explained. Sonic laughed shortly.

"Great. Now I gotta learn all about wild cats just so I don't do something wrong to myself without knowing it," he remarked.

"You'll survive. You'll only have to take up a few small changes in your life style, nothing major."

"Yeah, maybe." Sonic suddenly stiffened, sucking in a sharp breath through his teeth. A spasm of pain flashed through his face, and Sally froze in silent panic.

"What's wrong, are you all right?" she questioned. Sonic's body stiffened again, his back arching.

"Yeah... just some pain in my shoulders," he answered, before another spasm went through his spine. Sally placed a hand on her chest and sighed.

"I thought something horrible was happening to you, don't do that," she exclaimed, then frowned with sympathy. "Here, lie down. I'll help you out."

Stiffening once again as more pain went through him, Sonic made himself lie on his stomach, trying not to move his shoulders too much.

"Here?" Sally asked, placing her palm between Sonic's shoulder blades.

"Yeah, right there," Sonic confirmed, then felt Sally hand as it began gently kneading itself into the tight knot in his shoulders. All at once a wave of blissful comfort washed over Sonic's back, and Sonic allowed it to swallow him by going limp under Sally's touch.

"I knew we should have gotten those claw slashes checked. They could have become infected," Sally murmured, but smiled. Slowly Sally pushed her hands up along Sonic's spine, then quickly along his sides. Sonic gave a short laugh and repositioned himself on the bed, resting his head on his arms. Silence filled the room eventually, and for a moment both forgot about the private room's sterilised surroundings; almost even the fact that they were in a hospital.

Then, out of nowhere came a strange sound. Sally paused to listen, bewildered by the sound, because to her it sounded almost like a cat's purr. But just as suddenly as it started the sound stopped, and Sally felt Sonic move from under her hands. She didn't even realise that she had stopped.

Sally watched as Sonic pushed himself up, turned and stared at her with such bafflement. Stiffly he brought a hand to his throat, as if feeling for something there, and Sally thought that there was something wrong with the hedgehog's throat.

"Did-- Did I just purr?" Sonic questioned eventually, the baffled look still on his face. Sally's mind went blank for a second, then she began to laugh. Embarrassed Sonic hide his face in his hands and shook his head.

"Oh, man. I can't believe I just did that," he exclaimed into his palms, falling back onto the bed with a groan. After an interval Sonic lifted his hands and glared at Sally, who was throughout the whole time still laughing.

"I can't believe you did that either, Sonic," Sally commented, barely understandable through her laughing. Sonic sat up and continued glaring at her, feeling his cheeks flare up with embarrassment even through his fever.

"Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up, Sal, 'cause you're never gonna hear that again," he scowled, wondering if she heard him. But then he couldn't help but smile and give a light chuckle himself. Eventually Sally took control of her mirth and wiped the tears away from her eyes, struggling not to begin laughing again.

"Sorry about that, but that was very unusual and hilarious," Sally said, and bit her lip as she felt another fit of laughter surface. She shifted closer to Sonic, immediately slipping her hand under Sonic's throat and running her fingers along it. "Can I hear you do it again?"

Sonic pulled away from Sally, somewhat disgruntled by the request. "No way, I'm not a cat," he snorted, grabbing Sally's hand and pushing it away, but not letting it go. The serious glare on Sonic's face melted away when Sally started giggling again, and soon a small smile crossed his face. "You have a beautiful laugh, Sally," he told her. Sally stopped laughing, wondering if she had heard right.

Sonic's smile widened slightly as he carefully swept back Sally's forelock and cupped the side of her face in his hand. "And you are the most beautiful Mobian on this entire planet," he said softly.

Sally was surprised at what Sonic had just said and didn't know what to say in response. She would have never expected Sonic to say anything like that to her; so sweet and explicit.

"I..." she mumbled witlessly.

Sonic's eyes then widened with realisation and he withdrew his hand.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. Please, don't be upset. I didn't mean to say that, I meant to say--" Sonic blurted, fumbling over his words as he tried to explain himself.

"No, no. It's okay, Sonic," Sally insisted, taking a hold of his hand. Sonic stared down at Sally's hand. The bones were fine and fragile, but at the same time held their strength.

Sonic ran his thumb over Sally's fine knuckles; they didn't protrude awkwardly, they were practically invisible to the eye. Sonic then lifted his gaze and looked at Sally herself, taking in her image. Sally's hair was soft and beautiful; Sonic had seen it shine in the sun many times before. Her fur was smooth and somehow didn't show any signs of it being worn out by the current war they both had the displeasure of experiencing. To Sonic, Sally was flawless; almost like an angel, even though he knew it was impossible for anyone to be so.

Sally watched Sonic as he did all this, wondering what was going through his mind. When Sonic had fallen silent all of a sudden Sally was worried that something was terribly wrong. He was fine a minute ago but now it seemed that he was troubled over something. Sally was shocked when Sonic finally looked up at her, only to find that he was... crying?

"Sonic, is something the matter?" Sally questioned, concerned for her friend. Why was he acting so strangely all of a sudden?

Sonic looked away from Sally and drew in a trembling breath, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. He released her hand quickly.

"No, no I'm fine," Sonic finally stated, grinning awkwardly. "When I'm over tired I start acting weird, that's all. Ignore everything I've said and done 'cause I'm not responsible for it."

Sally stared at him. He was lying; she knew it.

"Maybe we should get Doctor Quack in here to look over you, I'm sure that nurse is still in the hospital," Sally suggested. Sonic shook his head. "Nah, I'm cool. No problem, Sal," he insisted.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, 'course I'm sure," Sonic assured. "Now can we drop the subject, please?" There was a sort of pleading look in his eyes when he said that, Sally could see it clearly.

"Okay, Sonic. Subject dropped," Sally finalised, which seemed to please the hedgehog.


	4. Chapter Four

Sonic has been awfully quiet, Sally mused. Only once in a while he would say something, but what he said seemed laconic.

Sally gazed down at Sonic. He was sitting awkwardly, with his legs crossed underneath him and leaning forward so that his elbows could touch the mattress. Sonic's head was resting on top of his folded arms and was staring straight ahead, not really taking in anything. He actually looked smaller when he sat like that; since the mutation he had grown to about three foot nine, which was about five inches taller than Sally.

Sally pushed away her forelock and lowered her head to Sonic's eye level. "Are you comfortable like that, Sonic?" she questioned.

"Sort of. Think I dislocated my hip by doing this though," Sonic answered somewhat dryly, moving only his eyes to look at Sally.

"Is something bothering you, Sonic? You've been pretty quiet for a while now and that's not like you at all," Sally said, carefully placing her hand on Sonic's head. She ran one of her fingers along Sonic's main head quill, surprised at how soft it was. She always imagined that they were like knives, sharp and deadly. Sally wondered how Sonic made his quills cut through robots and metal surfaces like he did on missions. She felt Sonic stiffen, then somewhat relaxing.

Sonic sighed inwardly and shook his head slightly. "No, I'm okay. Just wish that this was over so that we can go on with our lives," he murmured, closing his eyes. "But I can tell something is bothering you too, Sal."

That was true. Sally was thinking about what Sonic had said before, which she believed what had made Sonic fall quiet.

The statement sounded so confused, almost lost to Sally. Didn't Sonic know that everyone cared about him? It always occurred to Sally that Sonic knew that and just shrugged off their concerns, but obviously Sonic was not aware of it. It was so strange to Sally. Then something came to mind.

When Sonic said that first statement, did he mean Sally herself?

Sally gazed down at Sonic. He was still looking away from Sally, but she knew that he was waiting for an answer. Could it be possible that he...

Sally shook her head. No, that is impossible. There is no way Sonic would like Sally that way.

Right?

Sally looked around the private room and spotted the wall-mounted clock on the opposite wall. It read 10:37pm.

She counted to herself mentally then said, "There's about another eleven hours left before this is over, Sonic." It was all she could think of to change the subject.

Sonic sat up and stared at Sally with disbelief. "Eleven hours?" he exclaimed, then groaned. "That's like forever!"

Sally noticed that Sonic appeared drained; his ears and quills drooped from lack of energy and his gaze seemed sort of un-focussed.

"I wish I could do something to make this easier for you," Sally sighed sympathetically, gazing at the blue hedgehog shamefully. Sonic smiled faintly and took a hold of Sally's hand.

"No, you've helped me out a lot today, Sal. Don't worry about it," he stated, squeezing her hand slightly.

Sally smiled and hugged Sonic gently. "Thank you, Sonic. That means a lot to me when you say that," she whispered, kissing Sonic lightly on his cheek. When she pulled away from Sonic it clicked. What made her do that? Was Sonic thinking that as well?

"Hey, why did you do that for, Sal?" Sonic questioned, pressing his hand where Sally had kissed him.

Sally was expecting him to say 'that was way past uncool, Sal.' in his usual fashion, but instead got nothing. There was a confused look on his face.

"I just... wanted to show you my appreciation, for what you said just then. You have to admit, Sonic, you don't show your gratitude often," Sally responded after a moment of thinking. That actually sounded harsher to her now that she thought about it more clearly.

"Yeah, guess that's true," Sonic admitted, laughing shortly. Sally gave a mental sigh of relief. Guess Sonic is hard to offend sometimes.

"So let me show my gratitude to you now," Sonic said suddenly.

"Wha--"

Before Sally could ask what he meant by that Sonic had leaned over and kissed her warmly on her lips, holding Sally perfectly still as she froze in her place. After a moment she quickly recovered and warmly kissed Sonic back, closing her eyes as she slowly placed her arms around his shoulders.

When Sonic broke the kiss Sally stared at him numbly. Did that really happen? Her arms were still around Sonic's shoulders and her mind was screaming for her to retrieve them.

They weren't moving, and Sonic's arms were seemingly stuck around her waist, also not moving. Only their lips were moving, closer to each other's.

Their lips met, keeping their place. The kiss was longer than the first one, and more breathtaking in an amazing sense. The kiss was broken once more and arms wrapped around on another for an embrace. Sonic nuzzled Sally's neck gently while she pressed her head against his shoulder. All questions were answered, all suspicions confirmed, all desires made reality. They didn't even notice as the door opened and a head poking into the room, before silently disappearing behind the door as it closed.

"But how long has this been going on for?" Sally questioned quietly, voice holding a slight quiver of emotion to it. She felt Sonic shake his head before he rested his chin on her shoulder.

"Too long. Just... too long," Sonic answered, giving a weak smirk. His heart was racing, thundering against his chest and threatening to explode right through it. That had to be one of the most terrifying experiences he had ever gone through, and now that it was over he couldn't seem to recover from it.

Sonic rubbed the palm of his hand over Sally's back; he imagined that was how she was feeling now. A small squeeze around his shoulders confirmed the assumption.

They stayed like that for what seemed like hours until Sonic gave a sudden growl and shook his head, as if to clear it.

"What's wrong, Sonic?" Sally questioned, pulling away from him and watched as Sonic pawed tenderly at his eyes and shook his head again.

"I don't know. I just feel light-headed all of a sudden," he responded, then shivered visibly. "Is it cold in here?" he asked.

Sally stared at Sonic oddly, not knowing what to think of the question. She didn't feel cold at all, and there weren't any windows in the room so there couldn't have been a draft anywhere. "Sonic, it isn't cold at all," Sally informed. But by then Sonic's teeth had begun to chatter together. He wrapped his arms about himself and drew his knees to his chest to gather more warmth.

"How can you not feel it, it's like a freezer in here?" he demanded around his chattering teeth. Sally placed her hands on his shoulders and felt her fur stand on end. Taking a hold of Sonic's hand gave a similar reaction.

"You're the one that's freezing," she exclaimed. Sonic groaned and leaned back against the pillows, then curled himself into a tight ball as he began to tremble convulsively. He began to draw in slow, trembling breaths, but to him it felt like his lungs had knotted themselves up. With a start he sat up.

"Oh, man. I gotta walk around," he panted, pushing himself to the edge of the bed. But then he moaned and held his head as a wave of dizziness and nausea pulsed over his body.

"Come on, I'll help you walk," Sally offered, draping Sonic's arm around her shoulders and pulling him to his feet. There wasn't much walking space in the private room, so all Sally could do was guide Sonic around the bed in a slow and steady pace. But after a minute or so the hedgehog began crying out in agony as cramps started to form in his legs, and he demanded for them to stop. In fear that she was somehow hurting Sonic, Sally obeyed without hesitation.

She helped Sonic to lean against the far wall, keeping a close eye on him as he gasped for breath. Then he moaned and slumped down to the floor, body limp.

"Sonic!" Sally cried out, instantly at his side and cradling his body in her arms. Sonic's head lolled against Sally's shoulder, and she felt that he was burning up again.

"Suh--Sal--iee..." Sonic whispered. Sally squeezed his hand.

"I'm here, Sonic," she confirmed, then helped him to sit up. Sonic's eyes were now rimmed with a tinge of red, but were heavily clouded. Even his slit pupils were clouded to a solid white, like he had cataract.

"It's so hot... it's hurts..." Sonic began to groan, before trailing off. Now he was just staring straight ahead, not taking in anything. This sent Sally's heart racing as she tapped his cheek

"Sonic? Sonic?" she called. He continued to stare, not moving, barely breathing.

"Come on, Sonic. Answer me," Sally cried, panicking. Her eyes darted towards the emergency call button embedded in the opposite wall.

"I can't see. Sally?" Sonic finally called, moving his eyes as he searched. He didn't even blink.

Sally again draped Sonic's arm around her shoulder and helped him to his feet, then dragged him to the bed. As soon as he was lying down Sonic curled into a tight ball. Sally sat next to him and began stroking his head gingerly, dipping her head low enough to hear his harsh breathing. She pressed her cheek against Sonic's own, feeling the fire of his fever. "Come on, Sonic. Don't give up now," she whispered.

Eventually Sonic's breathing returned close to its normal rhythm, and he was now close to functioning normally. Sally waited as Sonic uncurled and stretched himself to his full height.

"What's happening?" Sonic whispered, groping for Sally's hand. Sally grabbed Sonic's hand and gave it a squeeze, just to let him know that she was holding it now.

"You just had a brief relapse, but I think it's over now," she explained, hoping that she was closer to the truth than she felt. "How do you feel?"

Sonic drew in a deep breath and closed his eyes. "Cold. Really cold," he answered. Sally gingerly rubbed Sonic's arm, again noticing how cold it felt, then reached to the end of the bed and unfurled the blankets that sat folded there. These she spread over Sonic's trembling body, wrapping one of them around his shoulders for extra warmth.

"Is that any better?" she questioned. Sonic simply nodded, his eyes still closed.

"I'm so tired, I gotta rest," he breathed. Sally shook her head.

"You can't. You've gotten this far, you can't just give up now," she stressed. She gave Sonic's hand a comforting squeeze, noting that the hedgehog winced at the action. Sonic opened his eyes and gazed at Sally blindly, giving a quiet, almost weak moan.

"Just for a couple of minutes, Sal. That won't do any harm."

Without waiting for any objections Sonic closed his eyes and instantly fell asleep, his limbs going limp. Startled, Sally grabbed Sonic's shoulders and shook him awake, which caused the ill hedgehog to cry out in pain and gripped his head as his brain slammed about inside his skull, threatening to burst out.

The pain clouded his thoughts like cotton, so when Sally reached over to apologise for the action Sonic snapped at her, then began to hiss wildly as he advanced towards her. Alarmed Sally backed away from the maddened hedgehog, fumbling to get off the bed to avoid any intended attacks.

To Sonic the pain now raced throughout his body, adding fuel to his fever. It got to the point where the painful inferno became so great it seemed to consume all of his body, overheating it and sapped up all of his strength. With a gutturally groan Sonic collapsed stretched out onto the bed, almost toppling off the bed completely, and one step away from being unconscious.

He barely acknowledged the fact that Sally was now holding him close to her, rocking him back and forth in a slow rhythm as she whispered soothing words into his ear.

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Time seemed to slow down, playing at the two Mobians' anxiety.

Since the relapse Sonic's sickness fought a tireless battle to take over Sonic's system and shut it down for good. At the moment the battle was at its ruthless worst. The cloudy haze in Sonic's eyes had increased to an almost solid mass, and his fever had heightened and spread all over his body, but brought along with the take over a frigid chill that caused Sonic to shiver almost convulsively. A blasting headache throbbed behind Sonic's eyes and at the base of his skull, making him feel paralysed.

But it was the fatigue that was the worse of all. Each slow blink was a deadly temptation to Sonic, and it was at the point that Sonic couldn't even feel the rest of his body. If he could he would have known that he was currently curled up into a tight ball, head tucked under his arms and breathing in a heavy and shaky tone, and Sally leaning her head on his shoulders and her chest against his back, keeping a watchful eye on him.

Sally gave a quiet sigh and turned to look at the private room's door. It had been deadly quiet outside for a few hours now, and the only sign of life available was the intense glow of the fluorescent lights. They appeared blinding in contrast to the darkness of the private room; Sonic couldn't handle even the tiny light bulbs' glow. Sally continued to stare at the door, as if doing so would summon someone to come through it. She had considered calling in a nurse, but then there wasn't really much anyone could do for Sonic now.

From beneath her Sonic suddenly began moving. Sally listened as the hedgehog drew in almost choked gasps as he adjusted his position on the bed. Dry but harsh coughs shattered the gasps. Sally lifted herself away from Sonic to allow him to move more freely, even though that didn't make much difference

"Sonic, do you want some water?" Sally questioned, becoming concerned when his breathing shallowed. Sonic rolled onto his back and stared up at the ceiling, as if he didn't hear Sally's question. Just as Sally became afraid that Sonic had fallen once again into an exhaustion-stricken trance Sonic gave a silent nod, eyes inching to where he thought Sally was sitting.

Sally draped Sonic's arm over her shoulder and hoisted him into a sitting position, then reached over with her free hand to the bedside table, where a large jug of water and a glass were. After pouring a full glass Sally pressed the glass' rim against Sonic's dry lips and tipped the end up. Sonic drank, draining the glass' contents slowly.

"How are you feeling now?" Sally asked as she set the empty glass back onto the bedside table. Sonic gave another hoarse cough, then pawed at his forehead to wipe away the beads of sweat that gripped at his fur.

"Horrible... can't believe how bad this has gotten," he whispered eventually as he lay himself down again. It was the first thing he had said since his relapse hours before, but it was easy to tell that talking was a great labour to him.

"But how are you holdin' out?" he questioned after a moment. Sally shook her head and sighed, then pressed her chin against Sonic's shoulder.

"You're the one that's sick, and you're worrying about me," she commented, as she ran her hand along Sonic's burning cheek. As an afterthought she wrapped the blankets around Sonic's shoulders again, making sure that every part of his body was covered.

"I know, but there's no use in both of us being sick, right?" Sonic wheezed, forcing a weak smile. Vaguely he felt Sally run her hand over his flattened ear.

"I'm not going to fall sick just from losing a bit of sleep. And if I do it was for a good cause," Sally proclaimed. She laid herself next to Sonic again and rested her head on his shoulder, taking a grip onto his cold hand and giving it a light squeeze. Her other hand continued to stroke his ear. "We will get through this together."

A light squeeze in return confirmed that Sonic was thinking the same thing.

"Hey, that kinda feels nice when you do that," Sonic laughed, voice still hushed. "Almost comforting in a way."

"Yeah?" Sally asked. Slowly she streaked her hand down to Sonic's neck, then to his chest under the blanket. There she could feel his unsteady heartbeat, along with the unnatural burning of his fever. The fever was still spreading, despite their efforts to keep Sonic cool.

Then Sally felt something slightly warm being spread over her body and sighed with a hint of frustration. "No, Sonic. You need it more than I do," she said firmly, taking off the blanket and stretching it over Sonic.

"Take it, Sal. I've got enough already, and I feel hot again," Sonic insisted, as he rolled onto his back and pushed himself into a sort of sitting position. He placed his hand on Sally's shoulder and gently pulled her closer to him, feeling her curl up against him. He took this opportunity to once again spread the blanket over Sally.

"You're very persistent, even when you're sick," Sally muttered, but smiled all the same.

"Yeah, but I don't think I can keep that up much longer," Sonic admitted before coughing harshly.

"You're doing fine, just don't give up." She held Sonic's cheek in her hand and pressed the top of her muzzle against his throat. Sally was surprised when Sonic allowed a quiet purr to bubble through his throat, then snuggled his own muzzle against her cheek.

"I won't, don't worry about that," he murmured, tightening his grip around Sally's shoulders slightly. They lay there in silence for a while, Sally keeping her hand placed on Sonic's chest so that she could feel both his heartbeat and breathing, while Sonic tried to keep himself relaxed without falling asleep.

"You scared me in Robotropolis today," Sally finally murmured. She didn't look up when she felt Sonic move.

"What? How did I do that, Sal?" Sonic questioned. For a moment Sally didn't say anything, so Sonic inquired again, thinking that perhaps she hadn't heard him.

"When Bunnie called me, I knew something had happened to you. And when I saw you... just lying there..." Sally's voice choked up violently. Tears stung at the corners of her eyes. "I thought I was going to lose you today, Sonic."

She finally broke down crying, burying her face against the fur on Sonic's neck. Sonic could feel the tears as they fell on him, alongside Sally's body trembling with each sob. Carefully he pulled Sally away from him and turned to his side, so that he was facing her.

"Hey, it's okay. I'm sorry for scaring you, I would never do that to you on purpose," Sonic comforted, running his thumb tip along Sally's cheek to wipe away her tears. He then drew her close, pressing his burning forehead against her cool one. "And you'll never lose me, I plan on sticking around for a very long time."

Slowly Sally began to calm down, her crying nothing but quiet sniffles. "Yes, but how do I know for sure how long you can keep yourself alive?" she questioned. "I don't know how I would be able to keep going without you."

"Now don't say that," Sonic sighed. He swept his fingers through Sally's hair, pushing it towards the side so he could see her eyes, or what he could see through his clouded vision. "You'd find a way, I'm sure of it."

"But you're the reason why I see it's worth waking up every morning to this hell," Sally confessed. Sonic fell silent, for once lost for words.

"I had no idea you felt like that towards me, if I'd known..." he murmured. Softly he ran his hand along Sally's back. "Come on, cheer up. There's no way I'm gonna leave you behind."

He felt Sally tighten her grip around his shoulders and drawing herself as close as she could. "I know, but that doesn't stop me from being afraid," she lamented.

"It's not easy not being scared."

Sally sighed and wiped at her eyes, sniffling quietly.

"You okay now?" Sonic questioned. Sally nodded as she tried to swallow the large lump of emotion that had formed in her throat.

"Guess it was my turn to tell you my problems," she laughed shortly.

"Yeah, but I'm glad you did." Sonic pulled the blanket over Sally's shoulders more and repositioned himself so that her head was resting on his shoulder. Sally pressed her hand against his forehead, then his cheek and neck.

"You're still burning up," she murmured.

"I'll live," Sonic croaked. "What time is it anyway?"

Sally tilted her head to gaze at the wall-mounted clock, but she couldn't see it from her position. Somehow she just couldn't make herself sit up. "Late, I know that much," she informed quietly. Sonic began stroking her head softly.

"And you're getting tired," he added. Sally shook her head.

"I'm fine, just a little drained I guess."

"Bunnie should be coming soon, so you can get some sleep now," Sonic suggested. Again Sally shook her head.

"No, what if you need me for something?"

"I could easily call you. I can still talk," Sonic commented.

"But still, I rather not."

Sally lapsed into silence again, and out of respect Sonic didn't try to pull her out of it. He wasn't sure, but it felt like at least an hour had passed before Sonic could hear the distinct sound of Sally's evened breathing. Blinking to clear his clouded vision Sonic smirked when he saw that Sally had indeed fallen asleep.

"Knew she couldn't stay awake any longer," he whispered to himself as he pulled Sally further up, so that her head was now resting on the pillow. Carefully he swept Sally's forelock away and kissed her forehead, then as an afterthought added, "Sweet dreams, Sal," before closing his eyes as well.

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She felt so warm and comfortable; she didn't even want to get out of bed. Slowly Sally floated higher along the states of consciousness until she came close to full awareness, where she felt heavy blankets spread over her body, a semi-soft mattress below here, and the distant sound of a nurse's voice over the PA system echo through the corridors of the hospital.

Sally dwelled on that last sensation for a while, allowing it to twist about in her still somewhat fatigued mind, until it became apparent that she had thought of a hospital. She opened her eyes, waited a moment, then realised that she wasn't in her hut at all but a hospital room. Instantly realisation and panic flashed through her blue eyes as she remembered the events of last night: Sonic's strange illness, her volunteering to stay with him, Sonic getting seriously sick, blank... blank... blank...

Blank.

The blanks struck a nervous chord deep inside her soul, sliced through her heart and punched her sharply in the stomach.

Sally bolted upright and averted her eyes to the space beside her, finding it devoid of the blue hedgehog. Sally ran her hand over the space that he had been lying on hours before, only to find it colder than the chills that ran down her spine.

"Sonic?" she called, only to feel her heart swell up into her throat and threaten to choke her. She practically leaped off of the bed, not bothering to pick up the blankets that fell to the floor, and scanned the room for any signs of Sonic. But just like the space beside her, the room was empty. Sally pulled the door open and made her way down the long corridor, fighting to not run down it in panic. She needed to find Doctor Quack.

At the main desk of the hospital a tall grey and white female lemur nurse was typing away at one of the computer terminals. When Sally reached the desk the lemur glanced up and gave the Princess a warm smile, immediately stopping her typing.

"Good afternoon, Princess. Are you here to see a patient?" the nurse greeted kindly as she sat up straight in her chair. Biting her bottom lip Sally gazed around herself before speaking.

"No, actually. Well, I am, but you see he was... um..." Sally stopped and forced herself to calm down. The nurse was looking at her oddly now.

"I was just wondering if Sonic Hedgehog was still in the hospital," Sally requested finally, managing to not stutter or fumble. But still the nurse looked at her oddly.

"I wasn't aware that Mr. Hedgehog was in the hospital, Princess. Was he injured?" she questioned as she called up a window on her computer. Again she began typing.

"No, he was scheduled to stay over night, by Doctor Quack yesterday afternoon," Sally clarified, again feeling her heart choking her. The choking seemed to increase with each key the nurse pressed.

After a few minutes the lemur nurse shook her head and gazed up at Sally. "No, I'm sorry, Princess. But there aren't any records of Mr. Hedgehog being here at all. Can you tell me which room he was suppose to be in?"

Not 'suppose to be in', is in, Sally thought to herself. "Private Room two-six-four, near the East Wing," she responded. The nurse pushed herself away from the desk and, with the aid of her wheeled desk-chair, glided over to a large whiteboard that was mounted on the wall. With a finger she guided her sight over the large grid drawn with whiteboard marker until she reached the private room Sally had mentioned. The nurse's eyes widened when she found that there was a name scrawled in green marker in the designated box, but it appeared to have been wiped away with a thumb. Only a hinting of the letter 'S' still remained.

Slowly the nurse wheeled her way back to the desk and gave a slight sigh. "It appears that Mr. Hedgehog was assigned to that room, but his name has been wiped off the board. That plus there being no records of him being in the hospital, I'm afraid that means the patient has recently deceased," the lemur explained, keeping her voice monotone and flat in contrast to her chirpy voice used before. But there was a look of regret etched onto her black and white face.

One by one each of Sally's senses went numb. The transformation was apparent when Sally began to push herself away from the desk and blankly made her way to the exit. Alarmed, the nurse stood sharply. "Princess? Do you need a doctor? Princess Sally," she called, only to be ignored.

Sally made it outside the hospital and into the courtyard of Knothole Village without any form of pursuit. The sun beat down onto the village, making the air warm and pleasant to the villagers as the proceeded with their daily chores. None seemed to notice Sally as she continued her zombie-like trek to the edge of the village, where her hut was located. It seemed to her that she was invisible to the world, just like the world was invisible to her numbed mind.

The trek took a good and painfully long five minutes before Sally was about five metres away from her hut. It was here that Sally's mind finally pushed through the cloudbank and snapped back into reality. Along with this sensation came the overwhelming feeling of what had just occurred, and with this realisation came a strangled cry from the Princess' throat.

Sally buried her face in her hands, allowing her emotions to pour into them like a river into a tiny jar. Her shoulders shook, her chest heaved, her whole body suddenly felt very, very drained. Sally could have collapsed to the ground if someone hadn't grabbed her shoulders from behind.

Startled, Sally spun about, coming face to face with Bunnie Rabbot. There was a look of concern on her face. "Sally-girl, wha' th' mattah with you? You're a sight," she exclaimed, and gripped Sally's shoulders to keep her from falling. Sally gulped in a mouthful of air and allowed a few more sobs escape her throat. She tried to speak, but then how could she tell Bunnie that because of her Sonic was now dead?

"Sally-girl, tell me what's wrong. Y'all scarin' me heah!" Bunnie cried anxiously, tightening her grip. Sally just shook her head and pressed her hands against her face, surrendering to the fresh batch of tears that surfaced. She crumbled against Bunnie and cried, unaware that she was now babbling incoherently through her tears. But when she did stop Sally buried her face into Bunnie's normal shoulder, and continued to cry.

Bunnie stood there, unable to think of what Sally had said to her. But with a determined tug she pulled Sally away from her and looked at her straight in the eye. "Ah think y'all should come with me, Sally-girl," she said gently, and led Sally through the village's courtyard. Sally shook her head and moaned.

"No, Bunnie. I... I just want to be left alone..." she pleaded, wiping away tears from her cheeks.

"Sally-girl, Ah really think y'all should come with me, now," Bunnie said sternly. That's when Sally decided maybe it would be better if she just kept her mouth shut.

The two Mobians had been walking for a few minutes before Sally realised that Bunnie was leading her to the other end of the village. At this side of the village no one lived there, nor were there any structures built there except one: Doctor Quack's Medical Clinic.

Sally's eyes widened. "Why are you taking me here, Bunnie?" she questioned eventually.

"Ah jerst think that y'all need ta see something before y'all try ta do something you'll regret latah," Bunnie simply responded, keeping her eyes ahead of herself. Once they reached the doctor's medical centre Bunnie pushed the door open and led Sally in, closing the door behind her when she entered.

The first thing Sally noticed about the centre was how unusually dark it was. And how it seemed that every sound that existed in the village had been somehow eliminated inside the walls of the clinic, as it was dead silent. A dropped feather would have been able to shatter the silence of the clinic.

"This way, Sally-girl," Bunnie called in a low voice, and beckoned for her to follow her down a corridor. Confused, Sally followed without protest or question. She just wanted to know what the cyborg rabbit was up to.

Her answer came in a form of a closed door further down the corridor. Bunnie gently knocked on it and waited until it was opened, and the head of Doctor Quack poked out. He caught sight of Sally and gave a faint smile, which made Sally feel even more downcast than before.

"So you're finally awake, Princess? That's good to see," the doctor whispered, still keeping up his smile.

"Is it all right if we come in, Doc?" Bunnie whispered. Sally wondered why everyone was whispering all of a sudden. Doctor Quack nodded and opened the door further, stepping away from the doorway to allow Bunnie and Sally in.

"Just try to keep quiet, he's still sleeping," he warned, cocking his head to the opposite wall. Sally twisted her head to follow the gesture and froze in her place, once again overcome by shock. In the only bed of the room covered with thick blankets and propped up on a huge pile of pillows, was Sonic, sleeping peacefully and oblivious to the world.

Still stunned by the hedgehog's appearance, Sally walked over to the bed and sat next to Sonic, looking him over as if to make sure that he was really there.

"I..." Sally began, pausing only for a moment to collect her thoughts. She didn't notice Doctor Quack continue with whatever he was doing before he was interrupted by their visit, nor Bunnie as she stood behind her.

"I should kill him," Sally finally stated, turning to face Bunnie. There was a glare on her face, but it wasn't aimed at Bunnie herself.

Calmly, Bunnie shook her head. "Ah wouldn't try it, Sally-girl. He's as weak as a kitten now, so he won't be able ta put up much of a fight," she informed. Sally turned back to face Sonic, noticing just how pale and sickly-appearing he was. And Sally could tell that his fever still lingered, because the flushed red on his cheeks showed right through his fur. Thankfully, though, Sonic's breathing was slow and even, as opposed to the harsh almost choked breathing he was doing last night.

Carefully, Sally picked up Sonic's exposed hand and clutched it, noticing the thin I.V tube that had been inserted into his wrist and bandaged into place. The Drip attached to the tube was filled with a clear liquid.

"How long has Sonic been here?" she asked.

"'bout coupla houahs, give or take a minute. When th' twenty-four houahs was ovah and th' Doc gave him th' counter-agent fer the chemicalSugah-hog jerst zonked right out, and he hasn't moved since," Bunnie responded.

"But the nurse at the main desk--"

"I wouldn't worry about that, Princess," Docotor Quack assured. "We somewhat sneaked Sonic out of the hospital a couple of hours earlier than the intented time. When we came in to check up on the both of you you had drifted off to sleep and Sonic was at the stage where he was highly sensitive to everything surrounding him, even the slightest sounds. So we moved him here into the clinic so he wouldn't be disturbed any further."

"So Sonic's going to be all right now, doctor?" she questioned once she had allowed all the information to sink in. Doctor Quack pulled out a selected folder from the bookshelf and dumped it onto the desk, opening it at a seemingly random page.

"Sonic is still fairly sick at the moment, and it will be a few days at least I'd say before he's fully recovered. This is a sort of after effect of both the chemical and the counter-agent," he explained, then glared at the page disapprovingly and closed the folder, slipping it back into its place. "I ran some more tests on the chemical, and it seems that it has somewhat affected Sonic's adrenaline hormones. So when adrenaline is released into Sonic's blood so is the chemical, which in enough quantities will cause Sonic to become sick."

"And this will be fatal?"

The doctor shook his head. "Most likely no. But that doesn't mean that he can't become this sick again. This is a fairly new illness, so the most we can do is experiment with different treatments until we get the one that can help control the symptoms. So far the only treatment available for his 'Sleeping Sickness' is the counter-agent, but that only works to help neutralise the chemical. And that's where we come back to the current situation."

Doctor Quack nodded his head towards the unconscious Sonic.

"The best way to avoid any of this happening again is to make sure that Sonic doesn't become overly stressed, which would allow the chemical to be released."

The doctor pulled out yet another folder from the shelf and opened it. With a satisfied grin he closed the folder and stuffed it under his arm, and headed for the door. "I have another patient to attend to. Bunnie, could you stay with Sonic until I get back?" he requested.

"Shure thang, Doc," Bunnie confirmed cheerfully, but still kept her voice low. It was then that Sally realised that the two of them had been whispering the whole time; even she was doing it without realising it.

"Would it be all right if I stayed as well, doctor?" Sally asked.

"If you feel up to it, you may. But I would like it if you got some proper rest afterwards," Doctor Quack said, then left the two of them in the middle of the silence.

Sally sat there for the first five minutes just staring at Sonic's paled face, his limp paw grasped tightly in her hand, and wondering what would happen over the next few days.

"So you wanna explain wha' happened last night?" Bunnie queried, snapping Sally out of her thoughts. She turned to face the cyborg rabbit again, this time a questioning look of her face.

"What do you mean?" Sally asked, to which Bunnie gave a coy smile.

"When Ah came in ta do mah half of th' watch, th' both of you were locked in th' middle of a ratha' tende' moment," she explained, smiling. "So wha' happened?"

Sally felt her cheeks flush under her fur, and hoped that unlike Sonic's the colour didn't show through her fur. "Well, I... Sonic, he--"

"Ya both finally confessed to each otha'," Bunnie exclaimed, then clamped her hand over her mouth, her eyes falling straight onto Sonic. He continued to sleep soundly, undisturbed by her outburst.

The fire under Sally's furred cheeks burned furiously as she nodded. Bunnie gave a muffled but excited squeal and grabbed Sally's free hand, as if that would help channel her excitement. "Well, tell me how it happened, then, Sally-girl. Ah wanna heah everythang."

"I can't now, Bunnie. Not while Sonic's sleeping. I'll tell you back home when Doctor Quack gets back from his errand, I promise," Sally insisted, tossing a quick glance to the door.

"Aw, Sally-girl. Ya can't do that ta me," Bunnie pouted.

"Ah, Sal. Just tell her, can't you see she's dyin' to know what happened?" a rather hoarse, but quiet voice said. Sally twisted about in her place, finding Sonic to be somewhat awake and grinning. The clouded haze was still present in his eyes, but from last night it had cleared up slightly. Sally smiled warmly and leaned forward so that she could speak quietly to the hedgehog.

"Hey, you. How are you feeling?" she asked, squeezing Sonic's hand. In response Sonic coughed heavily, the breath inside his chest rattling audibly. When the coughing subsided Sonic somehow managed to wheeze: "I feel good."

Sally shook her head and gave a sympathetic croon, stroking Sonic's still burning forehead with her free hand. "You poor thing, now you really do have the Flu," she sighed as she leaned forward and carefully snuggled her cheek against Sonic's neck. Sonic wrapped his arms around Sally and hugged her, gently rubbing her back.

"No I don't. I'm telling ya I feel great," Sonic insisted. "But how about you, how are you feeling?"

"A lot better than you must be, I'd say," Sally answered. Behind her Bunnie gave another excited squeal.

"Oh, this is so great. All Ah c'n say is it's about time you two got your feelings in check," she commented.

Sally smiled meekly at the rabbit, and from the corner of her eye she could see Sonic doing the same. Bunnie crossed her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow at the two.

"So y'all gonna tell me wha' happened th'n?"

Sally and Sonic glanced at each other, then Sally spoke up. "Well we got talking, and the more we talked the deeper we got really," she explained shortly. Sonic pushed himself into a sitting position and leaned forward on his bent knees. Sally wrapped her arm around his shoulders.

"That, plus I kept slipping up," he added with a faint grin. "Shame this couldn't have happened on more pleasant circumstances."

"Ah'm jerst glad it did happen. You two have ta be th' most stubborn Mobians, Ah swear," Bunnie exclaimed. Sonic flattened his ears, both from the loudness of Bunnie's outburst and the comment. Bunnie again covered her mouth.

"Sorry, Sugah-hog," she said quickly, looking embarrassed. Sonic waved it off.

"Nah it's cool. Just don't do that for a bit around me, 'kay? Unless you want me to end up in the hospital again," he smirked, then nudged Sally gently. "Right, Sal?"

When Sally didn't respond Sonic turned to gaze at her, surprised to find that she had drifted off, while still leaning against him. Bunnie's smile widened, if that was possible.

"Ah think Ah bettah take her home so she kin get some sleep," she suggested. "Unless y'all want her ta stay heah wit' ya."

"I dunno, I kinda don't mind this," Sonic chuckled, then stifled a yawn. Instantly an overpowering exhaustion took over his features. On instinct Bunnie crooned sympathetically for the hedgehog.

"Go on then, get back ta sleep. The doc will kill me if he saw that you weren't restin'," Bunnie offered.

Wearily Sonic nodded, then with Bunnie's help he laid down alongside Sally, drifting off to sleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow.

Bunnie noticed just before she left the private room that both Mobians had faint smiles plastered on their lips, and couldn't help but giggle.

"It's about time," she murmured.

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Completed: Friday, 3 January 2003

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End file.
